


When You Wish To Be Wanted

by Yidkirkin



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Toriko (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Child Neglect, Dimension Travel, Families of Choice, Family, Fictional Religion & Theology, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Multi, No Bashing, Recovery, Self-Acceptance, Sikhism, The Gourmet Knights
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-27
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-03 14:09:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 72,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5294141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yidkirkin/pseuds/Yidkirkin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry doesn't know why he appeared in Simple Diet Hill, but once he accepts it he's determined to keep this family that he suddenly has; not even being flung around the Human World against his will could prevent that. And with some help, it'll all work out. As of Feb/2018 this story has been edited and updated!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lost and Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey ya’ll, look who’s editing a fic for once :P Enough changed that I feel it’s worth a reread if anyone cares to – although I’ll be honest it’s mostly setup for my revamped future chapter goals. Hope you enjoy! FYI –I headcanon Harry as being East Indian and of Sikh descent.  
> TIMELINE EXPLANATION AT END OF THIS CHAPTER

SPOILERS PROBS

Whenever Harry was out of the house and had to get away from Dudley and his friends, he would go to one of two places. The first was the old park just beyond Magnolia Crescent; it was quiet, had several trees that were perfect to climb into and hide, and was far enough away from number four that Dudley rarely found the energy to pursue him. The second place was another park on Dahlia Drive; it was closer than Magnolia Park but very often was crowded with other children, and it was over the line that Piers’ and Thorton’s parents had forbade them from crossing. Dudley could still come after him however, which was why Harry frequented it less than the former.

The day that Piers had punched him in the stomach and he had run away, Harry made it as far as the entrance to Magnolia Crescent before he slowed and nearly fell over, unable to run any longer with the wind knocked out of him and his  stomach running on empty.

Cradling his middle, tears sprung into Harry’s eyes when the pain unexpectedly worsened –any injuries he suffered, from bullies or otherwise, always affected him doubly so when he hadn’t eaten. That today was the second in a row that Harry had gone without food. It was also more difficult to run in this condition, but today was the second he’d gone without food made it especially difficult to keep going, let alone tough it out all the rest of the way to the park. After less than a minute of rest, Harry caught the sound of feet pounding on asphalt coming towards him from Wisteria Walk, accompanied by the hollering and jeering usually made by Dudley’s gaggle of cohorts. With a prickling terror running up his spine, Harry turned to see a rather determined pack of about seven boys sprinting towards him, Dudley smack in the middle.

Feeling feint, Harry pushed his legs as hard as he could and took off in the opposite direction –to the haven that Magnolia Park might provide. This had happened only twice before and Harry had easily been able to evade them both times, but his throbbing belly and weakness from hunger weren’t going to help him now. He knew even before the childish shouts in his ears grew louder that if he was caught he would have a lot more to worry about than missing a few meals.

The pain in his stomach spiked again as he rounded the bend that led into the park –he was almost there, _almost there_ –and he tried to ignore it, but it was hard when he also needed to concentrate on his footing and how far back his pursuers were. Sweat soaked his hairline as he glanced behind him to see his worst fear; the yelling boys were hot on his heels and even gaining ground as he began to slow down against his will.

Harry knew this was his last chance, so he shut his eyes, kicked hard off the dirt, and sailed over the barbed fence separating the park from the farmer’s field that bordered it on one side. He cried out as his arm tore open from one of the metal spikes but he didn’t stop running; in fact he managed to go so far on his adrenaline that when he ran out of steam for good he was in the middle of the tree line that separated the field from the next one over. He had run so far that all the children who were chasing him weren’t even within earshot any more.

Harry gasped and panted harshly, throat raw and chest heaving, his skinny legs wobbling dangerously as he came down from the high of the adrenaline rush. Once it had all leaked out of his system he swayed for a moment, eyes glazed over and unfocused, and then he promptly fell to his knees, hands preventing him from receiving a face full of dirt as he pitched forward, coughing and sobbing. When even his arms couldn’t support him, Harry let himself fall onto the leaf strewn ground, not even caring as his bent glasses jabbed his nose painfully and his now aching body protested the jostling violently.

Harry felt his eyelids slide shut, his vision blurry even as he stared at the blades of grass through his glasses. He laid there for a long moment as a bright light slowly overtook his sight, enveloped in warmth, feeling utterly content for the first time in several months. He soaked it in briefly before the radiance disappeared, and terror rose in the seven year olds throat as he suddenly went cold and could see nothing but darkness. Harry was frozen, but his mind whirred –he wanted to go back to that place of safety, he didn’t want to be left in the cold, so much like the nights when he had been locked out of the house by a tired and muttering Uncle Vernon. More tears spilled onto his cheeks, and he felt a horrible yank behind his ribs –like someone had elbowed an already bad bruise –and then, his entire body started moving again. It was almost like he was being spun, squeezed and pulled all at once, effectively disorienting him and causing him to sob even harder. Harry was about to scream when a sharp jolt of searing pain ran through his entire body –but everything ceased before he could.

The warm light was back, and Harry sobbed with relief as he was cocooned again in airy bliss, the sensation far more intense now than it was before. Harry tried to keep still, hoping the cold wouldn’t return, and in the few minutes of quiet before he finally fell asleep he thought he heard a distant, worried voice.

Vvv

Takimaru was patrolling the northern border of Simple Diet Hill on his regular rotation when a soft sound caught his attention from one of the cliff outcrops directly above him. He frowned and concentrated to try and hear it again; it was a broken, heaving sound, that of someone sobbing as if they had lost everything important to them in the world. He pat Del on the neck and slipped down to the ground, and then used a short version of his pre-shot routine to help him access the full use of his leg and arm muscles so he could scale the sheer rock to investigate.

Initially, he couldn’t make heads or tails of which bush held the crying individual, as Quilt Sage had the peculiar effect of muffling and redirecting any sounds that occurred nearby. Regardless of its importance to the local ecosystem, it wasn’t the best Flora to have in a frequently patrolled area, and Takimaru was reduced to checking each bush individually for whoever was in distress. After about five minutes of searching he finally came across the right one –and he immediately let out a shocked exclamation when he pushed the thick leaves aside to see who was there.

It was a child, curled in on themself and crying so despondently that it hurt Takimaru to watch, even as the crying reduced to a full body shudder when the child passed out. He did a quick once over and noted the bleeding arm before he scooped the unresponsive and shivering form out of the underbrush and into his embrace, alarmed at the child’s light weight and delicate extremities. The child –probably a boy –was anywhere from five to eight years old, with messy, short hair about the same shade as Takimaru’s own and dry, umber coloured skin. They had a scar shaped like a stylized ‘S’ smack in the middle of their forehead, wore bent and dirty circular glasses (which Takimaru pocketed) and was dressed in a pair of near comically oversized shorts and t-shirt. Before he made the trip back down to Del, Takimaru placed a hand on the child’s forehead only to remove it just as quickly, wondering just how long the extremely feverish child had been lying out here.

It took nearly twice as long for Takimaru to pick his way back to his horse as it had taken him to climb up, with how much attention he needed to make sure he didn’t jostle his young passenger. He only allowed himself to relax once they were standing next to Del; he dug into his saddle bag and pulled out the seldom used smoke flare gun that was inside. Whoever was on duty would see it and the colour would tell them that he was returning with an injured party.  

So young, Takimaru thought sadly once they were sat astride Del’s back, even younger than he had been when he contracted his disease. Young and sick and not from around here, for Takimaru knew everyone in Simple Diet Hill and Eco Land, and this far West there weren’t many with skin as dark as the child’s, though he didn’t count tourists, Gourmet Hunters and the like. If he had to guess, the child came from somewhere in the South East, near the Ma-Chilian Isles, or maybe even near the Southernmost Human World border, the stretch of land only called ‘Value’. But how had they arrived here, to the outskirts of Simple Diet Hill and up a cliff even Takimaru had some difficulty scaling?

Takimaru stared at the shivering child and drew them closer to his chest, pushing his fretful thoughts away for the moment as the Gourmet Knights’ Lodgings came into view up ahead. As he expected, Aimaru and the resident nurse Karasuke were already hurrying toward him, with several more of his comrades waiting near the Administrative building in case they needed further assistance.

Takimaru slid off of Del and sent him off to the stables, then met Aimaru and Karasuke halfway –the medic took one look at the child and paled.

“Strangely light and brittle of bone, with a fever close to 101°. I came upon him among the Quilt Sage crags, so do be certain he were not exposed to any Crag Fester Beetles. I know not for how long he was there.” Karasuke nodded and ushered Takimaru towards the Lodgings, where two Knights were ready to take the child onto a stretcher.

“Let Karasuke see to them right now, Taki.” Aimaru said, one hand on Takimaru’s shoulder; he let out the breath he’d been keeping a tight leash on and eased the child onto the canvas.

“We shall be in exam room four, Aimaru-san.” Karasuke said, already focused on his patient.

“We’ll meet you there.” The Knights leader received a quick nod before they bustled the child into the Lodgings. Once they were alone, Aimaru turned and drew Takimaru into a quick hug. “Are _you_ alright, Taki? I was worried when I saw the flare.”

“I am well, if a little shaken.” Takimaru admitted. He let Aimaru lead him into the building and over to the examination rooms at a slow pace. “The child did not look in good straights, I can tell that much.”

“What happened?”

Takimaru sighed and paused in the hallway, making Aimaru stop as well. “I did go on my regular patrol route, and as I passed through sector 6B I did hear a sound from above me on the cliffs. Hence, I investigated and found the child among the Quilt Sage bushes, crying but soon after passing out. I immediately hastened to return.”

“No one else in the vicinity?” Furousuke asked, appearing suddenly behind them. The second tier Knight had a knack for sneaking up on people and Ingredients alike, though his usual cheer was now replaced with seriousness.

“I did not spare the time to look.” Takimaru said, ashamed now at the thought. “It was more prudent to tend to them, I believed.”

“I already rounded up Sana and Jen –we shall go scour the area. If it pleases you, Aimaru-san?” Furousuke asked, taking off the moment their leader nodded.

Aimaru smiled briefly, but quickly sobered. “Alright, let us catch up with Kara and see if we need to send for Amara-sensei.”

Vvv

When Harry returned –rather abruptly –to consciousness, he wasn’t in the light or the cold, but instead was tucked into a soft bed covered in a light brown comforter. The bed was in the middle of a lowly lit, red wood panelled room; Harry shivered violently and pulled the blanket tighter around himself, only then realizing that he wasn’t wearing his glasses. With his eyesight the way it was, Harry could easily see that there were two chairs on either side of the bed and that there was a dark wood door in the wall to his left, but everything on the nightstand or the bed eluded him.

Still shivering but not as chilled, Harry listened for a few minutes to try and figure out where he was from the sounds around him. He could hear running water in the ceiling, and there was a low murmur drifting in through the door, like when he was in his cupboard and his Aunt and Uncle were talking in the kitchen. He knew he wasn’t in a hospital, nor was he at number four or Mrs. Figg’s and he had never seen a room that looked like this at school. Harry shifted uncomfortably and then stilled before he lifted up the blanket to find that he was no longer dressed in Dudley’s hand-me-down t-shirt and shorts. Now he was wearing a light green long sleeved shirt and a loose pair of brown pants, both made out of a thick fabric that Harry had never seen before. He had the sleeve raised far from his face to try and see it clearly when the door to the room opened unexpectedly, an action that made Harry squeak in fright and bury himself underneath the comforter.

“Oh –Aimaru-san! He is awake!” A voice called from the door, one that Harry didn’t recognize at all, nor the name of the person they had said. Harry kept himself still, hearing the person enter the room and sit down in one of the chairs to his left, and then seconds later another person came in. There was silence for maybe a minute before the newest person addressed him.

“Hey there, kiddo.” The voice –a man? –said, very close to Harry’s head. “It is alright, we’re not going to hurt you. We only want to make sure you are okay.” Harry still didn’t move, but he listened to the man as he walked to the foot of the bed and sat down. “C’mon now, don not be shy. My name is Aimaru, what might yours be?”

Something in the man’s voice –sincerity, honesty, Harry couldn’t quite pin it down –made Harry feel as if he should answer him. It was as if the man really wasn’t going to get angry with him like his Aunt and Uncle often did, and Harry liked that feeling. Hoping he wasn’t making a mistake, Harry swallowed his fear and sat up, moving the blanket off of his head so he could see them.

Of course, his sight was blurry even with the man sitting further away, so all he could make out was a red, black and peach coloured human shape a few feet in front of him at the other end of the bed, and another person off to his left, this one dark blue, black and peach. As Harry squinted at the two cautiously, the man before him moved slowly, holding an arm out so the man in the chair could give him something –it was a pair of glasses, _his_ glasses, polished and unbent as the day his Aunt had bought them four years ago.

“They are only temporarily fixed, I’m afraid.” The man said as Harry slipped them onto his face and the blurriness lessened significantly. “Our medic can update your prescription now that you’re awake, so in a few days we can get you a better pair.” Harry inspected the man on the bed, and quickly came to the conclusion that he was the strangest person he had ever seen.

Aimaru, as he called himself, was dressed in a red, long sleeved shirt and black pants, with bandages covering his forehead and his long black hair tied back into a tidy braid. He had three red triangles marking each of his cheeks, tanned, beige coloured skin and dark brown eyes. He was smiling at Harry patiently, and made no move to speak while Harry directed his curious stare at the other person in the room.

The man on the chair looked younger than Aimaru, and while he had similar shades of hair and skin his one visible eye was blue and the one triangle Harry could see on his cheek was black. He was dressed in a pair of blue jeans, a black t-shirt and a light blue turban that did nothing to hold back the hair covering the right side of his face from view. The as-yet unnamed man smiled at him as well with something like concern on his face, so Harry decided then and there that he _had_ to be polite and speak to  himself now to these two so-far very nice people.

“My name is Harry. Where am... uh... I mean...” Harry knew his Aunt didn’t tolerate questions, but would these two be the same? He struggled with the words for a minute longer before the man in the turban spoke to him for the first time.

“It is a good thing to meet you, Harry-kun.  I am called Takimaru. Right now you are in a place called Simple Diet Hill, in one of our guest rooms.” Harry ceased his stuttering in order to pay attention to Takimaru, gripping the blanket tightly when he didn’t recognize the place name Takimaru gave him. “I found you, alone, in a Quilt Sage bush on the northern cliffs of the Hill’s perimeter, and brought you here. You were feverish –we had you thoroughly checked over and gave you several natural remedies in order to make sure you would get better. You have been asleep since I found you early this morning, and it is just past nine o’clock in the evening, presently.”

“I –I don’t understand.” Harry said, tears prickling at the corners of his eyes without his permission. “I was in the forest near Little Whinging before this, how did I get here?”

“Little Whinging? Harry-kun, what continent is your home on? Taro? Ma-Chili? Perhaps Value?” Aimaru asked, frowning when Harry shook his head.

“It’s –It’s in Britain, which is in Europe. I don’t know what those p-places are.” Harry sniffed and took his glasses off so he could rub at his eyes. “I don’t understand... it was warm and then cold and then warm again –and then I woke up here. I-I –I’m sorry, I think I did something freakish again –I didn’t m-mean to do it!” Harry started crying in earnest and Takimaru was instantly beside him, rubbing at his back and attempting to soothe him.

“Do not fret, it is alright Harry-kun. It is okay, we mean not to blame you for anything.” Aimaru stayed where he was, frown growing deeper as he watched his protégé try to console the mysterious, frightened child. “By what way did you do something freakish? If you tell us, we mayhaps be able to figure out a way to get you back to... Europe.”

Harry hiccupped wetly, choking out several gasps as he started to calm down, at the same time tensing like he was considering trying to make a break for it. By the time he began speaking coherently again, Takimaru had moved into a more comfortable position, removing his hand from the boy’s back and instead holding his hands in between his.

“My –My Aunt and Uncle don’t like iiiit whe-en I do freakish stu-tu-uff. Once, I... I turned a plastic toy into –into a wooden one and Unnnncle Vernon locked me in my cupboard for-for two days.” Harry tried to swallow around the lump in his throat. “Annnnnd I once... got fro-om-om the gr-ground to the sch... ool roof in a split second. I must’ve done it againnn... when-when Aunt Petunia finds out, she’s going to –going to be so mad!”

“Well, I do say that what you can do sounds amazing.” Takimaru said calmly, though he had shot an alarmed look back at his leader at the offhand comment of being locked in ‘his’ cupboard. “Harry-kun, your aunt cannot bear her anger upon you if we mind not to tell her. We mean to help you, and we shall not go about discrediting that. Does that make things more bearable?”

“...mmhm...” Harry nodded frantically. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry...”

“It is fine, you are alright, everything is alright.” Takimaru said gently, patting the child’s hands and humming quietly. “Why do you not endeavour to sleep a bit more, Harry-kun? When you awake, you can eat and talk, if you so wish to. How does that sound?”

“..okay.” Harry agreed quietly, letting Takimaru take his glasses from him and cover him with the comforter again. “Will... will you still be here?”

“I promise.”

It took a few minutes for Harry to drift off, during which time neither of the Knights moved an inch for fear of jostling him awake as Takimaru was still holding his hands.

“I cannot monitor him as much as I would like.” Aimaru said quietly, waiting for his son to untangle himself from the child’s grasp. “How long are you on leave for?”

“Match-san has _insisted_ I rest, marry, no less than two months.” Takimaru didn’t sound overly disappointed by it, though.

“Would you be open to watching over him, then? It seems he has taken a liking to you, and if he has a stable presence for at least the first few weeks he is here, it may make the difference in his recovery.” Aimaru gave a tired hum. “We can look into a more permanent solution once he is somewhat healthier.”

“Truly, I feel as if I should, I were the one that found him after all.” Takimaru accepted immediately, thinking back to the blood that seeped from the child into the dirt surrounding him; he touched his covered eye absentmindedly and sighed. “I do know you are busy, Aimaru-san, but could you stay with him for just these few minutes? I shall need to fetch some things and speak to Oumaru-san about having a meal delivered.”

“I can stay. Karasuke already dropped off Amara’s medical specifications, but make sure to stress his weak stomach lining even so. Once you are back I’ll go and consult the library for mention of the places he told us about.”

Takimaru thanked Aimaru profusely and immediately made his way to the Lodgings’ kitchens, trying to mentally prepare himself for the upsetting topics that were bound to come up when Harry awoke again. Oumaru was happy to see him drop in, and they spent nearly half an hour going over Amara’s recommendations along with simply catching up with one another. Oumaru herself had four children and was currently pregnant with the fifth, so Takimaru tried to answer her questions about Harry’s behaviour and mental health as best he could give the boy hadn’t been awake very long.

She shooed him out eventually with a bento each for himself and Aimaru, telling him to send a runner once Harry woke up and needed to be fed; she also insisted that he keep her in mind if they needed someone to take the child in for any length of time.

“I will remember, Oumaru-san.” Takimaru told her gratefully, accepting the pitcher of water she handed to him. “Do pass along a hello to Sayaka-san and your children for me.”

“Sure thing, Taki-kun. Now, go and make sure that leader of ours _takes_ that bento! Subsisting on diseases might be possible, but not while I am around!” Oumaru swept back into the kitchen with all the grace her distended belly allowed her, and so Takimaru laughed and made his way back to the guest room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT TIMELINE EXPLANATION (spoilers for toriko)  
> So, the Cooking Fest battle still happened, all the way up to when Midora and Ichiryuu were fighting. Midora still kills Ichiryu, Starjun still kidnaps Komatsu, and Toriko still needs to go into the Gourmet World in order to retrieve his combo partner from Gourmet Corp. But Midora never used his Meteor Spice technique. See, I absolutely disliked the manga after the timeskip happened, so in this fic I’m doing what I want and ignoring it lol. And, I go by the Viz Media English translation of the manga.  
> Starting from the Cooking Fest Arc (in May);  
> YEAR ONE- Takimaru goes back to Simple Diet Hill and helps with Cooking Island cleanup. Toriko and Komatsu come back from the Gourmet World and start making trips there with the other Kings. The world isn’t destroyed so they’re looking for Acacia’s full course on their own time. Teppei is rescued from NEO by Jirou. Just disregard all of the NEO/Gourmet Corp/GOD drama, that’s Toriko’s shtick and won’t affect this story.  
> YEAR TWO- Takimaru goes to work as a liaison between the Gourmet Mafia and the IGO in order to get Nerg City and Jiddal Kingdom back on their feet. He makes small trips back to Simple Diet Hill and asks Aimaru to officially assign him to this endeavour.  
> YEAR THREE- Same as year two.  
> YEAR FOUR- From May until October it’s the same as year two and three. From December until April Takimaru goes to Life to work with Teppei and some of the younger generation of Gourmet Revivers who have expressed an interest in trying to revive Nerg and Jiddal’s lost ecosystems. The IGO attempts a Cooking Fest on its usual date but the repairs to Cooking Island aren’t done yet, so they hold a sort of honorary fest to acknowledge the lives lost.  
> YEAR FIVE- Takimaru spends his time travelling between Life, Nerg, and Simple Diet Hill.  
> YEAR SIX- From about May to August Takimaru does as he did in year five. Come September he moves back to Simple Diet Hill for a time b/c Match made him take a break, and the beginning of October is when Harry shows up.  
> TL,DR: Chapter one is in October, about five and a half years after the Cooking Fest Arc, and the Meteor Spice and the Timeskip never happened.


	2. Speculation

SPOILERS SURE WHY NOT

It was noon the next day before Harry woke up again, affording Takimaru some warning by way of the coughing fit he broke into a few seconds after opening his eyes. It gave Takimaru enough time to flag down one of his passing comrades outside the door and then fill a glass to give to the convalescing boy. Worries over a possible coma laid to rest, Takimaru waited until the coughing subsided somewhat before he approached and handed Harry the glass of water.

The child drank the water greedily, and with a pang Takimaru realized that by now he wouldn’t have eaten anything for three days nor drank for over twenty four hours.

“Good morn, Harry-kun, of how did you sleep?” Harry shrunk down a bit, but after a minute uttered a meek ‘good’. “I am bolstered to hear it; sleep eases the heart. Are you hungry?”

Harry didn’t say anything.

“Well, if it so happens, good food will be brought to you in short time. You cannot eat it too fast, because your body is malnourished and shall not be able to handle it –do you know what malnourished means?” Takimaru paused and waited, and was rewarded after a few seconds when Harry made an interested noise. “It means food did not come to you whence you needed it, so you are smaller and weaker than you should be. Harry-kun, how old are you?”

“...seven.” Harry swallowed nervously. “...I’m not in trouble?”

“Nay. I wish to help you mend what I can.” Takimaru reassured firmly, thinking back on the number of times Aimaru had needed to tell him the same when he’d first arrived all those years ago. Just then a knock sounded on the door, and Takimaru took the tray of food from Sanasuke with a quiet word of thanks and assured him that Harry would be up to seeing visitors in a few days time. Harry stared at the food as if he’d never seen anything like it before. “Why, I do think you might enjoy the soup. Oumaru-san –one of the Chefs –made it especially for you.”

This was the right thing to say apparently, as Harry instantly nodded and set upon the dish when Takimaru placed it before him. He kept a watchful eye on Harry’s pace, but he never needed to slow him down as the boy took what he said earlier to heart. Harry was finishing the accompanying crackers when the door was pushed open and Aimaru walked in, smiling when he caught sight of the empty bowl on the tray.

“Taki, Harry-kun.” He greeted, sitting in the chair closest to the pillow on Harry’s right. “I looked into where you said you were before you woke up here, Harry-kun. I am sorry, but I could find no place in our World Atlas’ that matched where you said you came from.”

“What does that mean?” Takimaru asked, eyes flickering between his leader and the fragile child next to them.

“It means that either Harry-kun is lying –which I find unlikely.” Aimaru was quick to say, meeting Harry’s eyes. “Or that he comes from... somewhere that cannot be found on any Human World map.”

Takimaru’s eyes widened at the implication. “The Gourmet World?” he asked, noticing out of the corner of his eye that Harry looked torn between confusion and tears.

“That would be my best guess. Harry-kun,” Aimaru addressed the seven year old, who straightened a little under the man’s gaze. “You carry a different sort of cell inside you –a rare kind which only a small percentage of the population possesses –called Gourmet Cells. If you are truly from the Gourmet World, they would naturally be active in your body regardless of your malnourishment through your life. These cells normally affect a person by helping them heal very fast and giving them extraordinary physical abilities. I have reason to think that your... freakishness, as your family calls it, could be explained through the evolution of your cells. Do you ever heal quickly, grow your nails very fast or maybe, jump very high or find it hard to feel tired?”

Harry’s face paled and his expression went blank, he looked down at his hands quickly as he sniffed. “Some –times, when Aunt Petunia cuts my hair it-it –it grows back the next day... and, when I –I, uh... was running form Dudley, I jumped over a--- fence, without trying.”

“Those do sound to me as the effects of active Gourmet Cells.” Takimaru murmured. “And mayhaps it should tell of a few other matters... Harry-kun, is there anything else you can think of?”

Harry nodded slowly and then haltingly told the two Knights about several ‘freaky’ incidents he remembered; some of which he’d been punished for and others he had never been caught. There was the time he had made the flowers in the living room window wilt the moment he touched them, the several times he was sitting alone in the park and heard someone speaking as if he was standing next to them, and when he repaired a teacup he had broken at Mrs. Figg’s after getting scared that the old woman would make him leave. Every so often Aimaru would nod sagely and Takimaru would have Harry stop in order to take a sip of water. When Harry couldn’t remember anything else, Aimaru started writing on a scrap piece of paper even as he spoke to his protégé and their guest.

“This makes things much easier for me, thank you, Harry-kun. I have an idea about what is happening now, though I confess I need a bit of time before I make a clear conclusion. It seems to me though, that your Cells have given you the capacity to affect your immediate surroundings. Perhaps similar to Heavenly King Sunny’s abundant hair he can control, or a variation of Toriko’s Fork and Knife Technique. Now, this is nothing to be ashamed of.” Aimaru said this firmly, and Harry gave him a startled look. “Though not exactly common, Gourmet Cell users are known and accepted throughout most of the developed Human World. Your manifestation is one I can’t pin down quite yet, but Harry-kun, there is _nothing_ freakish about what you can do.”

“Yes, and you shall stay here as long as you please.” Takimaru added, oblivious to the proud smile Aimaru sent him. “I think you deserve a better lot in life. If you shall say, I will make it so you can reach your full potential here.”

Harry was silent for barely ten seconds before he began to cry again; he was quickly revealing himself to be an honest, emotional child, though these tears were thankfully different from his previously terrified or distressed fits. There were no gasps for air or choked apologies –Harry was just nodding and sobbing quietly. Takimaru reached over to the platter of food and withdrew a napkin that he used to wipe at Harry’s cheeks even as more tears came forth.

Eventually Harry exhausted himself and fell asleep once more, and Takimaru found himself fussing and adjusting the boy until he was laid back under the blankets again. Aimaru watched his protégé ( _son_ ) with a sort of startled awe, as if he were only now seeing something that should have been blindingly obvious to him a long time ago.

“I am in the mind for a bit of rest.” Takimaru said once he had Harry settled to his liking, effectively snapping Aimaru out of his reverie. The first-tier Knight was determined to be well rested in the coming days so that he might think about this sudden, new possibility of a child with a clear mind. “I shall ask Tokumaru-san to watch him just this once, I am not yet used to the Lodgings now... it _is_ alright that he stays here, Aimaru-san? I presumed...”

“I’m absolutely okay with it, so long as you take responsibility for him, Takimaru.” Aimaru gauged his son’s reaction to his words, pleased when he received a thoughtful nod, letting him know that Takimaru was going to think about it seriously. If his hunch was right, Harry was going to need a lot more than just a few days of care and attention to make it through this.


	3. Quiet Times

SPOILERS

Takimaru received word that Harry had woken up once more at six o’clock the next morning, and as he swiftly got dressed and made his way to the kitchens he made a mental note to contact Karasuke or Amara to ask about the amount of sleep Harry was doing. When he arrived at Harry’s temporary abode, he was only mildly surprised to find the seven year old awake and timidly conversing with Tokumaru about gardening and lower level Ingredients. Tokumaru was a newer member of their organization, formerly a Gourmet Reviver who specialized in low to medium level Flora Ingredients, and the snippet of chatter he overheard before he pushed the door open completely concerned the colours and differences of the Begonia flower in comparison to the much more common Paper Begonias that Tokumaru had worked on in his youth. When Harry caught sight of Takimaru in the doorway before Tokumaru noticed, his whole face brightened up for a moment until it faded back into something more reserved.

“Good morn Harry-kun, Tokumaru-san. Having a good talk?” He asked, placing the tray carrying Harry’s breakfast onto the nightstand. Harry nodded shyly, eyes on the food as Tokumaru stood up with a chuckle.

“Harry-kun here has dealt with some very rare benign Ingredients in his life –we were discussing some of the more common varieties.” Benign ingredients? Strange, if Harry came from the Gourmet World, but the apparent rarity convinced him that it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. “It was nice to talk with you Harry-kun, but I’m afraid I have to go. I promised my brother Abutsu that I would help him in town today.” Harry looked disappointed but nodded, and after the older Knight had left he was once again completely focused on the meal Takimaru had brought him.

“More food.” Takimaru said unnecessarily. “Gopher Cow milk is wont to settle the acids in your stomach, which is a misfortune that is to be soothed this day, and Cereal Seeds pass through your digestive tract easily whilst giving full nutrients to your system.”

“G-Gopher Cow?” Harry looked extremely confused at the concept, so Takimaru poured him a cup of the beige liquid and explained.

“A Gopher Cow is a Capture Level two Ingredient, but only in such as they form small underground colony nests that are a fair shot for even an honest Hunter to locate; for the most part they do seemst to be agreeable Fauna. Beyond their milk most do not seek them as a meal exept in the hardest of time, but they have long been domesticated –we have a tiny colony here, presently.” Takimaru smiled as Harry made a noise of approval at the taste of the drink. “Mayhaps once you are feeling in better spirits, I will take you to see them.”

“Okay.”

“Now, before I came to see you I did go speak with Karasuke-san. He is a fine medic, who took care of you whenst first I brought you here. He gave me some Ingredients for you to eat, ones that will help your immediately manageable issues.” Takimaru pulled a paper bag out of his jacket pocket and tipped the contents onto his palm so Harry could inspect them himself. “This here is an Enamel Beetle. It is not a fair sight, but if you chew it up enough that it gets to all your teeth, it shall coat them with a special protective film –but only baby teeth, in that fashion. This one is a Seed of Support; Amara-san, the doctor whom looked you over more finely, noticed your bones were brittle, and this Ingredient will spread roots that will bear your weight for nigh half a year. You shall have to eat Calcium rich foods in the meantime, but in the end your bones will be much, much healthier.”

“And lastly is the Acuity Leaf. You swallow it whole and it sticks to the bottom of your oesophagus, releasing bits called pheromones that trigger weak cells and tissues to heal forthright –which will work doubly so when paired with your Gourmet Cells. It is important to do because your stomach is very delicate right now.”

“...okay.” Taking the beetle first from the Knight, Harry chewed it with a pinched expression that was almost a grimace, not enjoying the taste or the texture very much at all but determined to finish it in one go. Takimaru had him eat some Cereal Seeds and drink more of the milk before giving him the Acuity Leaf, followed soon after by the Seed of Support.

“There you go, fine job, you did splendidly Harry-kun.” Takimaru praised, glad to muster a blush and a small smile out of the child instead of another subdued expression. He was about to bring up that he brought Harry some books from the Knights’ library and various classrooms when he noticed that Harry was working himself up to speak.

“Uhm... Mr. Takimaru... why –uh, wh –uh –mm...” Harry’s brow furrowed as he attempted to get the words out, finally managing it once he looked away from the Knight sitting next to him. “I –I just... want to know...why you are d-doing this.”

Takimaru blinked. “Doing _what?_ ” Harry flinched a little and Takimaru immediately recognized his mistake, hoping he could rectify it. “Nay, Harry-kun, I am not angry, I’m confused. Please, of what did you mean?”

Harry hesitated and took a deep breath before he spoke again, “I mean... why are you doing – _all_ of this? Uncle Ver-non says no one does _anything_ for free.”

“...Harry-kun, in what way does your family treat you? I make oath I’ll tell you what you want to know, but you need to tell me, please speak freely.”

“...Aunt Petunia doesn’t like me doing –freakish things or-or asking questions, and neither does Uncle Vernon. B-But they aren’t bad, not really... I mean...” Harry trailed off uncertainly.

“Does your Aunt or Uncle ever raise their hand? How do they punish you when your Cells act up?”

“Uncle V-ernon yells and locks me in my cupboard.” Harry answered promptly, easily, quite used to it even at his age. “And –And Aunt Petunia has h-hit me, two times, but that was just when I was... really bad. Usually she just –doesn’t let me eat at dinner. I –I turned my teacher’s hair blue and so- so she –she didn’t give me _anything_ for two days this time.”

“Are there any other children that do live with you? How are they treated?” Takimaru asked, mind churning the new information over. At the very least he was grateful for the fact that Harry didn’t suffer through a worse case of physical abuse, though it was a small comfort.

“My cousin, Dudley. He doesn’t do anything f-reaky like I do, and he gets away with lots and bu-bullies me sometimes. But Uncle Vernon never does anything when I fight with him... he says roughhousing is good for boys.”

“Ah... thank you, Harry-kun. Now, you did wonder about why I’ve asked nothing of you in return.” Harry nodded. “It is because... it’s that you remind me of someone. He should have never grown up or found his place in the world had someone not helped him, and I wish to do the same for you. Besides that, you were sick and hurt and you’re a child –even just that would be enough for me to lend you aid.”

“...you know someone else like me?” Harry whispered.

“Mmhm... some amount, actually. Whence they were helped, their hearts were eased and it –it saved them, truly. Nowadays they are some of the greatest people I call friends. Anything you need from now on, Harry, I tell you... I will help you as much as I can.” Takimaru ruffled Harry’s hair. “So that includes questions. Do not hesitate to ask me about anything you wish to know. If I cannot answer or if it is something you should not have asked, I will tell you why.” Harry hummed agreeably.

“Th-Then... what’s a Gourmet Knight? And a Gourmet Reviver?” Harry’s knuckles were strained where he clutched at the comforter, and Takimaru supposed it wouldn’t be easy to do something you’s been discouraged against for so long. “Uh –Mr. Tokumaru mentioned them –when we were talking. I didn’t want to ask about it before.”

“Mr... I noticed you did call me Mr. Takimaru earlier, but Takimaru is my name and I shall ask you to call me by it. As for what those are...” Takimaru scratched at his cheek, unsure of where to begin. “A Gourmet Reviver is a protector of ingredients. They prevent poaching and over-hunting, are knowledgeable of laws and medicines, and may bring back an extinct species if it pleases them. It is no surprise you heard tell of it; Tokumaru-san was such a Reviver before he chose to join us.” Takimaru absently touched the triangle inked underneath his visible eye. “Gourmet Knights are an order of Gourmet Hunters. Hunters specialize in the capture of high level Ingredients, usually for clients. The Knights do the same, but we are a humanitarian aid group also, and we follow the Gourmet Faith the same as most people who dwell in Simple Diet Hill.”

“Is that –is that what that triangle means? Mr. Tokumaru had two, but Mr. Aimaru had six.” Harry pointed out, stalling less in his sentences now that he was relaxed and coming to terms with the novelty of asking about whatever he wanted.

“That is exactly it. Aimaru-san does not let anyone formally join the Knights until they turn fifteen, due to one of the traditions involving this facial tattoo. Mayhaps if they are younger he will allow a semi-permanent ink, but that is beside the point. Tokumaru-san and I are in first tier, which usually contains new members. Since I was raised by Aimaru-san from a young age, I have chosen to remain in first tier until he has decided I have reached my full potential.” Takimaru said this all carefully, not wishing to misrepresent something so close to his heart. “Aimaru-san is the leader of the Gourmet Knights and one of the few third tier adherents. In some matters, if a Knight has a mastery in a subject or some such, or has done much of note, they might have more markings, but reflected on their forehead.”

“And, what’s the Gourmet Faith?” Takimaru decided this would be a good opportunity to bring up the books he’d procured for the seven year old, so he reached over to the other chair by the wall and brought the stack over to show him.

“I did bring a few books for you –can you read?” When Harry nodded, staring at the books in much the same manner as he had the food, Takimaru showed him several of the covers. “There is a book in here that can tell you anything you might wish to know about the Faith and the Gourmet Religion, better than I at any rate. There is also a book telling the differences between the Human and Gourmet Worlds, one about Ingredients and capture levels, and several story books I did enjoy at your age.” Takimaru’s expression ghosted on wistful as Harry gingerly –like he was handling glass –took the stack of books and neatly placed them on the side table closest to him.

“Th-Thank you, very much Mr. –erm, I mean, Takimaru. I, I promise I’ll re-read them...” Harry tried to smile, but his skin suddenly flushed with red and made him look overheated; Takimaru gently guided Harry onto his back and was sure to explain what was happening as Harry stared breathing harshly.

“Do not fret, Harry-kun, this is just the Acuity Leaf doing its work. I am so sorry I didn’t warn you, I became side tracked by our talk.” He put his hand against Harry’s forehead and the child sighed out in relief. “The Leaf causes the cells in your body to kick into overtime –you will feel as if you have a fever from a cold, and will have to drink a lot of water.”

“It hurts.” Harry said miserably, eyes glazed over and staring somewhere off to Takimaru’s left.

“I know this, but you will feel better soon. Do you wish me to read to you until you fall asleep?” Harry nodded shakily; Takimaru grabbed the topmost book on the stack and smiled when he saw which it was.

“Long ago there lived a Legendary Gourmet Hunter the people considered a Deity. The Gourmet God, Acacia.” Harry sank further into the pillow as he relaxed by increments, momentarily distracted from his discomfort. “After enjoying all the foods he could find on land, he delved into the ocean’s deepest depths. There, Acacia-sama found heaven. Though beautiful to behold, it wasn’t the view of the underwater garden that was divine...”

“...it was how it _tasted_.”

Vvv

When Takimaru closed the door to Harry’s room behind him, he found Akimaru waiting for him, face serious but posture telling him that whatever brought him there, it was nothing to get worked up over.

“Ah, is there something you require, Akimaru-san?” He asked politely, discretely wiping at his eyes; if Akimaru noticed, he didn’t feel the need to comment.

“Aimaru sent me to retrieve you; he should like you at his office as soon as you are able.” Takimaru nodded, then glanced back at the room he had just exited, debating on how long the child inside was likely to remain asleep. “I am available to stay until you return, if that eases your mind?”

“Oh –thank you, Akimaru-san, but I do believe he will be at rest for a while yet. He was prescribed an Acuity Leaf.” Akimaru made a short noise of comprehension and then walked off without another word, leaving Takimaru to shake his head in amusement.

He found his leader just where Akimaru said he would be; sitting at one of the chairs in the corner of his office, legs crossed at the ankles and engrossed in a small green book, completely oblivious to Takimaru’s presence in the doorway. Takimaru observed his father figure for a few seconds before clearing his throat softly –he certainly didn’t startle the other man, but Aimaru did appear surprised to see him standing there.

“Taki, you got here sooner than I expected.” Aimaru said, smiling and placing his book down on the low table.

“The Acuity Leaf took less time than I thought to sort Harry-kun out. He fell asleep whilst I read to him.” Takimaru took one of the chair next to Aimaru’s. “What did you need me for? Akimaru gave the impression it was not urgent, but important nonetheless.”

Aimaru was quiet for a moment. “He reminds you of yourself.” He stated, and Takimaru’s fingers stilled from where they were fiddling with a loose thread on his shirt cuff. “Have you given it no thought? Sit here and speak at ease.”

 “Admittedly... I am torn.” Takimaru said quietly. “I feel I could help him. So small, so scared –Amara-san said he is worse off than I was, but I think we are similar enough.” The Knight looked up at Aimaru with a conflicted from on his face. “Aimaru-san, I’m not sure of what I should do. I am held to expectation even so long after Ice Hell, and I have made my oaths to Match-san about Nerg and Jiddal... but even so, Harry...”

Aimaru stopped his protégé. “Taki...” he said, reaching out a hand to brush the hair away from his eye –the only remaining evidence of Takimaru’s fractured childhood. “You are like a son to me, I... I think of you as my own child. If you wish to help this boy –if you even for a second think you can shoulder the responsibility, I shall support you. The Gourmet Faith actively encourages such endeavours; it is only _because_ you have been so focused on the relief efforts that I have never brought the subject up to you as I would for others.”Takimaru blushed mildly at the gentle reminder of the scope of his efforts in the past few years, something he had been assigned to exclusively on his own insistence. Aimaru laughed at his protégé’s bashful expression before he went on.

“Thanks to my years spent in Toriko’s company, I have a sort of sixth sense about certain matters. Harry-chan has strong Gourmet Cells, a history of abuse. He is a child who will need full time care; nurturing, support, training-”

“-all those same mends which you extended to me years ago.” Takimaru interrupted. “I have thought on it. Before anything else is done, I will have a talk with him –I was abandoned, which is a different situation to his.”

“And what is his situation?”

“Harry has experience with rare benign Ingredients, but is lacking in the Human World’s core knowledge –he did not know about Hunters, Revivers, Acacia-sama. While it is easily explained by his living in the Gourmet World, it is far more warrant to his relatives.” Takimaru took a steadying breath before he continued. “Whilst both his aunt and uncle dislike it when his Cells are active, he told to me that his uncle only yells and sends him – _locks him into_ –his cupboard. His aunt has hit him twice by his count, and denies him food as punishment. Harry also told that nothing was done if he retaliated against his cousin’s bullying, and he appears to be the only one in the family who possesses Gourmet Cells.”

“That’s extremely concerning. Why would a Gourmet World family reject a Gourmet Cell user? They _are_ the norm over there, not even _counting_ Hex Food World.” Aimaru mused lowly, brows creased. “I suppose he could be from a previously unknown settlement with few users in the area, or mayhaps he was born there and then needed to join his relatives elsewhere –he didn’t mention his parents after all... this is a mess. Would you call Brunch the Tengu about this? You know Komatsu-san, I’m sure he can get a hold of him, and I have this feeling that he might offer some insight.”

“I will, Aimaru-san. I shall give Komatsu-kun a call before I rejoin Harry-kun.” Takimaru hesitated. “Was there anything further?”

“Yes. Take these,” Aimaru scooped a few papers up from the low table next to them and passed them to Takimaru, who realized with a start that they were from the Gourmet Knights’ records. “Think about it, fill them out, and bring them up to Harry-chan at your own discretion.”

“A change of residence and a notice of custody?” Aimaru nodded and swept his hands around him grandly.

“There will be more; IGO, Gourmet Police and United Nations official records and what not. But these two I feel are currently the most pertinent for you to have.” Takimaru listened to his leader with one ear, reading through the papers carefully. “Since you have already made promises to the child, it’s silly to say that you need time to think it over. You will now be Harry-chan’s primary caregiver; within the Knights he will be your ward, as you were with me. And he obviously cannot stay in the guest quarters his entire life, so I’m having Surumaru-kun moved to the room he’s been asking about –then Harry-chan will go to the one beside yours.”

“You were... swift.” Takimaru muttered, making Aimaru chuckle.

“I try to be in cases like these, and I do have practice. Once everything is sorted out and the forms are properly processed, Harry-chan won’t have to worry about returning to his ralative’s home.” Aimaru clapped his son on the shoulder. “Do not doubt yourself, Takimaru. You will be a good father.”

Takimaru was quiet, folding the papers carefully before he stood. “I... will still offer to him another option, in case... just in case.”

 “Alright. Tell him I said hello.” Takimaru nodded. “I love you, Taki.”

“I –do love you, too, Ai-san.” Then he left, and Aimaru went back to his little green book, ready to keep sorting through the recorded Gourmet User births or appearances inside.

(Takimaru entered Harry’s room quietly to find him still asleep, the book he had only gotten halfway through placed neatly on the side table with the others. Takimaru put the forms inside the nightstand’s drawer and drew the comforter up more snugly around Harry’s shoulders, and when he sat down next to the bed he too dozed off –to thoughts of rainy, dark city streets, and a soft voice asking him why he was all alone.)


	4. Fine Assessment

SPOILERS

Harry awoke alone, comfortable except for a certain bodily function he had neglected the past few days in favour of sleeping. Not really giving it much thought, he decided to check outside the hallway door –both to try and find a loo but also to see if there was anyone was nearby.

Harry moved stiffly and slowly, his limbs heavy and prickly probably due to the Seed of Support’s roots now running through his body, holding him up and together until he could do it himself. It took him several frustrating attempts to get his legs to move the way he wanted them to, longer still to swing them off of the side of the mattress –and even then he had to use the bed frame and chairs to shuffle his protesting body over to the door.

Beyond it laid a narrow hallway, also wood panelled but brightly lit, with a mirror on the wall to his left and another door to his right. Harry looked in this door firstly; and he was glad to find the toilet so quickly (even if most of the fixtures were foreign to him). He emerged several minutes later feeling marginally better, but when he turned to the long hallway he suddenly felt uncertain. Never mind that he had no idea where he was in relation to anything, but if he got lost looking around then Takimaru or Mr. Aimaru might get Angry at him. They really did act like they were completely sincere, and had reassured him more times than he could recall about their intentions-

–but what about when he did something wrong? What about when he actually _used_ his freakishness? What if it wasn’t the ‘cells’ they seemed to be so positive of, would they still be as nice to him, or would they start acting like... his Uncle and... and his Aunt...

Takimaru and Brunch found Harry curled up below the mirror some fifteen minutes later, eyes red and sniffling miserably since his tears had run out, and shivering even in the warmth of the hallway. Brunch said nothing as Takimaru knelt down to Harry’s level, just observing as the young Knight brushed Harry’s shaggy hair away from his eyes and smiled at him in concern.

“I _am_ sorry, Harry-kun. I did not mean to be gone when you awoke.” Harry shook his head. “What is the matter? Do you feel ill?”

“C-C’n’t m’ve.” He mumbled. “H’vy.”

“Okay. Up we shall.” Takimaru proceeded to scoop the listless boy into his arms, then stood and motioned for Brunch to follow them into the guest room. Harry clung to Takimaru’s shirt like a Koala as the Knight strode over to the bed and deposited him carefully against the pillow. Brunch didn’t sit, going to lean against the end of the bed frame, so Takimaru pulled only one of the chairs up to the head of the mattress while Harry relaxed back into the pillows, exhausted.

“Harry-kun, this fellow is Brunch of Mt. Tengu.” Takimaru introduced a few minutes later, and Harry finally looked up at the red skinned man and _stared_ , because _this_ was the single strangest looking person he had ever seen. He had white hair and bright red skin, with a nose that jutted out of his face a good four inches and wore an open chef’s jacket over a black undershirt. He looked like one of the delinquents Aunt Petunia liked to mutter and hiss about on the way to the grocer, with his scowl and how tall he was... his Aunt and Uncle would have _hated_ him. The thought made Harry smile shyly at the man, who looked a little bewildered for a second. “I did send for him yesterday so he could help us with your troubles. Brunch-san does come from the Gourmet World himself, and has Gourmet Cells as you do.”

“Really?” Harry asked, eyes going wide and giving Brunch his full attention –the man scoffed and nodded.

“Course I do!” He said, sounding proud and confident. “Not the most knowledgeable ‘bout it, I’d say, but I owed Komatsu a favour anyway an’ –well, not often summat like this comes up.” Brunch smirked. “Why, you wanna see?”

Takimaru opened his mouth to protest, but then he saw the flicker of bright excitement on Harry’s face –not a trace of his distress from earlier left to see. “Not anything to mar the place, please.” Takimaru told Brunch, thinking suddenly that exposure to other users –more so those who utilized their abilities unashamedly –might help Harry feel more secure. Brunch sat down on the bed about a foot away from Harry’s knees and held his hand up in front of the seven year old, and then charged it with just enough electricity so it would remain visible but wouldn’t much more damage than a static shock.

Instantly Harry cringed back, pulled the comforter up to hide his face and squeezed his eyes shut –in expectation of some form of reprimand or discipline, no doubt. When nothing happened beyond a few quiet crackles from Brunch’s hand, Harry slowly eased the blanket down and stared, fascinated.

“It doesn’t –it doesn’t hurt?” He questioned, looking up into Brunch’s eyes fretfully. The chef laughed a little and let the energy dissipate, drawing a disappointed noise from Harry.

“Nah. But if I do it too much in one go I get real tired ‘n haveta change these.” Brunch showed Harry the small battery slots in his neck, even taking one out and letting the boy hold it for a minute. “Gourmet Cells don’t really ‘manifest’ differently like some people seem to think. They give you the base things like fast healin’ and better physical abilities, and if they’re crazy up there they can form what’s called an Appetite Demon.” Harry looked a bit alarmed at that, but Brunch waved it off. “Kid, you’d haveta be on Toriko or Zebra’s level for that, so don’t sweat it. Mostly you end up usin’ your Cells to get stuff like this done. I modified my body myself, while I took the time to mould my Cells into accepting it and generating electricity; now that’s all I’ll be able to build on. Like how Toriko just expands on his Fork ‘n Knife technique... Takimaru says you’re from the Gourmet World?”

“I –I guess?” Harry admitted. “They hadn’t ever heard of Britain or –or Europe, and I don’t know about anything they tell me. So... that’s what we think?”

“Huh. Those don’t ring any bells for me neither. But then I’ve stayed mostly in’n round Hex Food World, and the Gourmet World’s a whole lot bigger ’n that.” Brunch shrugged. “I’ll bug the old man about it and get Komatsu to ask who’ver he knows over there. Now, you wanted me to feel him out.” Brunch directed this not-question to Takimaru, who nodded and placed a hand on Harry’s forearm.

“That is mainly why I called you here. Harry-kun, only Gourmet Cell users can accurately assess the state of another’s cells, and so Brunch-san is going to examine your cells to see how well they’re recovering. Is this agreeable to you?”

Harry kept his eyes on Brunch, silent while he thought about the explanation. “It’s fine,” he said eventually. “Buuut... but what if my freakishness... _isn’t_ Gourmet Cells?”

Takimaru blinked at his charge in confusion and Brunch’s expression turned sour at the way Harry had worded it. “Then should it be any number of things, it doesn’t particularly matter in your case, Harry-kun.” Takimaru said gently, Brunch nodding firmly along with him. “Right now we are most concerned with your health, which is to what end Brunch-san is here. If your abilities do not stem from the Gourmet Cells’ influence, then none shall be said of it.”

“Either way you can do weird shit, why worry about where it comes from?” Brunch asked, ignoring the disapproving glare Takimaru shot at him. “Now everybody does this thing different, but all _I_ need is to see your hand –so give it.”

Harry extended both, offering his right hand to the chef and the other to Takimaru, only relaxing when the Knight folded it in between his own. Brunch placed his index finger in the middle of Harry’s palm and then ran a pulse of electricity through it and into the boy’s hand, making Harry shiver and giggle at the sensation. Smirking, the chef slid his finger down to Harry’s wrist and pressed –Harry jolted –and there was a glow as a string of energy came out of Harry’s skin, snaking up into Brunch’s hand and leaving a dark line on Harry’s palm in its wake. Letting go of the child, Brunch huffed and crossed his arms nonchalantly.

“Definitely Gourmet Cells.” Harry glanced at Takimaru, relief clear on his face, and the Knight squeezed his hand in response. “They’re all real small –malnourished. If you’re gonna recover fully you’re gonna haveta start eatin’ compatible Ingredients real soon. Also, your cells are... energetic, overly so even had they been healthy, and you’ve already started using them in a specific way. Far as I can tell it’s something like, like –like you’re changin’ the composition o’ stuff you touch or summat. You been changin’ things with your cells, yeah?”

“Um... you mean... like repairing a broken cup? Or –shrinking a sweater?”

“Sure sounds like it. So now you just gotta learn howta do all that stuff even better, and on command n’ all that jazz. Takimaru, I’d suggest teachin’ ‘im somethin’ that’ll help him focus until you can start training him –those exuberant cells of his won’t make it easy.”

“Wait, how do I find com-com-compa’ble ingredients?” Harry asked then, latching on to the most important issue to him –choosing to let Takimaru worry about what Brunch had said about ‘training’.

“I could choose some for ya, since I got a feel f’r your cells an’ all.” Brunch said. “Not like I’ve got much else to do, I’m stuck here for another day ‘till the train comes in. But normally you just sort of... know. You’re drawn to ‘em subconsciously ’cause your cells can tell when somethin’s nearby; some people call it ‘resonating’.”

“Your offer is kind, Brunch-san, and gladly accepted.” Takimaru said.

“Y-Yes, thank you!”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re welcome. Takimaru, I gotta go make a call, then I’ll track down that chef you mentioned. Oumaru?”

Confirming, Takimaru turned back to Harry once Brunch left, letting go of the child’s hand now that the cell assessment was over with. “Of what did you think of that?”

“That was amazing!” Harry answered enthusiastically. “He –Mr. Brunch does that in –in _public_? People _know_ about it?”

“Yes, truly. A few years ago, he was a contestant in the Cooking Festival, which is watched by nearabouts ten billion people every four years. During it, he displayed many of his abilities. Gourmet Cells or otherwise unique abilities _are_ to be a curiosity, surely, but you will not have to worry about being treated badly in their wake. Especially since many famous Gourmet Hunters have such abilities, and in this Age of Gourmet they are a well respected lot.”

“So, since I already started doing one thing with them, does that mean... th-that I get to learn how to do it more?”

“That is right. It is a little early for formal training, not to mention you still have to recover, but I will teach you some meditation techniques to start out with and then find you a simple pre-shot routine, which will help you focus even further.” Takimaru was glad that Harry appeared excited about the prospect. “For now we shall get you back to full health and you shall read through more books if you want to. I shall speak to Aimaru-san about arranging a teacher for your cells in the future, now that Brunch-san has given us an inkling of what we need to accommodate.”

“So, I _really_ get to stay?” Harry asked hopefully. “...does that mean I have to be a Gourmet Knight?”

Takimaru gave an amused huff. “Yes, you shall stay as long as you wish to be here. But you will not be held to be a Knight –following the Gourmet Faith would make living in the area easier, but all of it is your choice, and it is a personal one that you should think deeply about. Actually, there was something I wanted to bring up to you, about that.” Harry watched curiously as Takimaru pulled two pieces of paper out of the nightstand drawer. “These are official papers that Aimaru-san gave to me yesterday. One will make me your guardian; you will be my responsibility until you are of age, and through this you will never be forced back to your relatives. The other makes it so that you will have a room connected to mine, and my address will be yours until you want to have your own.”

“...you want me... to-to live with you.” Harry breathed.

“If it is what you wish as well. We can find other options...”

“...c-can I –I –is –is it okay if –I –”

Harry suddenly stopped, his breath rushing out of him and his face draining of colour, turning a pale, sickly shade. He jolted once and shuddered, hunched in on himself and hugged his stomach like he might vomit any second –he whimpered in pain.

“Harry?!” Takimaru called, alarmed, and reached for the boy’s shoulder, only to draw back sharply with a gasp as his hand passed straight through it. Harry started to cry, breathing harshly as his body flickered in and out of sight, like a lantern with too little oil. Then all at once, his distressed noises ceased, and with one last flicker Harry was no longer there.

Takimaru stared at the spot where Harry had been not a second ago, and then hesitantly extendedhis hand to where Harry’s hands had just been, just to make sure the child hadn’t simply turned invisible. When the action yielded open air, Takimaru shot out of his chair and through the door, taking to the halls with such speed that the edges of his vision began to blur. Within minutes he was barging into Aimaru’s office, only barely restraining himself from shouting until he saw that his leader was alone.

“Taki? What’s wrong?” Aimaru asked immediately, standing from his desk and meeting Takimaru in the middle of the room. Takimaru struggled for words, only just realizing that what he had witnessed shouldn’t have been possible, but soon he managed to force them out.

“Harry’s _gone_!”


	5. Isolated Yearning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My headcanon is that Little Whinging is around the area of Englefield Green, Surrey. I know nothing of the actual area, but that’s about the geographical location in my mind. More specifically, Cherrywood Avenue.

 

Awareness returned to Harry suddenly, the cool darkness surrounding him a sharp juxtaposition to the endless warmth and light he had only just been caught up in. For one split second he thought he might still be in his room at the Gourmet Knight’s Lodgings, that in a minute the world would come back into focus and he would see Takimaru sitting next to his bed or Mr. Aimaru walking in through the door. Then he shifted, and the familiar feeling of his bedroll underneath him and the ceiling close to his face cemented where he was.

Harry didn’t even try to stop himself from crying.

It wasn’t as if he hadn’t thought it all to be a dream –such a lovely place couldn’t be anything else –but now that it was _true_ it was like a slap to the face. Harry had fallen asleep in that dream, he had eaten and used the loo and cried and seen someone else do freaky... use Gourmet Cells –and it had been so wonderful that now Harry wished he hadn’t woken up again.

Harry wiped his face of tears and sat up, feeling stiff and sore for some reason –probably from running so much to evade his cousin. He kept quiet until he was sure that there was no one on the main floor, and then he reached up to click his light on. He still couldn’t see much, so he scrambled for his glasses, only realizing something was off when he slid them onto the bridge of his nose.

Beyond the fact that they sat properly and his vision was slightly sharper than he was used to, he was still dressed in the shirt and pants that he had been wearing in the Lodging’s guest room. Breathe quickening, Harry tested his arms, still heavy and hard to move but not creaking or popping the way they normally did after he ran far, and then he inspected his palm, where the near black splotch left over from Brunch’s assessment stood out on his skin.

“It wasn’t a dream.” Harry said out loud. “It _wasn’t_.”

Then why was he _back here?_ Why had he been brought back the same way he had left, this time wholly against his will and several times more painful, both physically and emotionally. Harry didn’t _want_ to be back here with the Dursley’s, back where he was denied food and Dudley picked on him. He would _never_ want to be here, where Uncle Vernon tried his best to ignore him every day and Aunt Petunia glared and scowled and shoved him out into the cold.

What Harry wanted was to be back in Simple Diet Hill, back in the cozy guest room with its fuzzy sheets, and the stack of books he had started working his way through, helped along by Takimaru’s patient coaching and insight. He wanted to be back there, where people he had never met made meals especially for him, and where freakishness wasn’t something to hide and shame, but be embraced and honed. He wanted to be where strangers looked after his health, and fussed over him like a mother would, and talked to him like a friend... and were concerned for his wellbeing.

Harry wanted to be back where there was a person who _wanted_ him there.

Vvv

When Harry stumbled out of his cupboard the next morning, eyes red and body still heavy, he found his Aunt and Uncle waiting for him in the kitchen, both looking furious at his very presence, Dudley nowhere in sight.

“You!” Petunia said shrilly, making Harry flinch and draw into himself, resigned. His Aunt was standing beside her husband, a pinched look in her eye as she glared at Harry and placed her hands on her hips. Uncle Vernon was sitting at the table, looking for all as if he were nearly ready to leave for work, frowning severely at his nephew-by-marriage.

“Where in God’s name did you scurry off to?! We don’t see you for a week, and then Vernon comes to the kitchen only to find you passed out in the backyard?!” She shrieked; face darkening slightly and squaring her shoulders. “What would we have said if someone had seen?! Well? What do you have to say for yourself?!”

Harry swallowed thickly and hesitated; he wanted to answer very carefully, because when his Aunt got like this, she hated pussy-footing more than the truth. She said that edging around the issue only showed that he was predisposed to be a criminal like his parents. “I’m, sorry. I don’t _know_ where I went. I was... I wasn’t anywhere I recognized, and I couldn’t. I –didn’t _mean_ to leave, I promise.”

Petunia’s expression soured further, and she sneered at her nephew’s cringing form. “More _nonsense_ then. Well, I will _not_ tolerate it. You are to stay in your cupboard the rest of the night, and there will be no dinner for a week. Is this going to happen again?”

“I’ll tr-try not to, I will. But I couldn’t stop it –when it happened.” Harry answered meekly.

“Well then try harder, boy, or there will be hell to pay.” Vernon told him flatly from behind his newspaper. “Now, do as your aunt tells you to.”

Harry nodded morosely and swiftly went back to his cupboard, closing the door behind him as softly as he could manage. His stomach growled faintly, more bearable than he was used to from the meals the Gourmet Knights had provided him, but an unwelcome reminder of what he would now have to endure again now that he was back.

With that thought swirling in his mind, Harry flopped onto his bedroll and tried to fall asleep, knowing full well that it wasn’t going to come easily to him anymore.

Vvv

In the weeks that went by after Harry’s return from Simple Diet Hill, there were two ways he found to keep himself occupied. The first was that he remained holed up in his cupboard whether or not his Aunt unlocked the door. He did this for the first four days whenever he was home from school, but it didn’t work too well –since he got back, he’d been feeling increasingly tired and lethargic, which started to worry him when it didn’t pass after he got used to his body’s new heaviness from the Seed’s roots. Though staying in the cupboard also had other downsides, as Dudley found great enjoyment in stomping down the stairs at every opportunity, and worst of all; the cupboard started to bore him exceedingly well by the fourth night.

So on the fifth day back Harry moved on to the next way to occupy himself, that being staying _out_ of the house from dawn until dusk, barring breakfast. It didn’t afford him much time for napping or warmth, and he wasn’t quite enjoying it either as he still felt unnaturally tired, but he got to avoid the Dursley’s and that was what was important.

The first thing he did upon releasing himself from solitude was, in fact, retrace his steps back to the forested patch where he first disappeared to the Human World. It took the better part of a morning for him to scope out the rough patch of leaves he barely remembered, and it wasn’t until the evening crept up on him that he finally left. For hours he attempted to recreate the feeling from the last time he was there –that same desperation or relief –but in the end nothing came of it. He didn’t feel even an itch, and cried for a long time while he lay in his cupboard later on that night, frustration and anger boiling over uncontrollably.

And so Harry tried to put it behind him then, being sent to the Human World by his fre... by his Gourmet Cells. Accept that he wouldn’t go back, would never see the Knights or Simple Diet Hill again; so it would be less painful for him in the long run; so he wouldn’t have to endure the disappointment and longing for as much time. But try as he might, Harry couldn’t forget it –because he had wished for so long not to be alone before he had gone there, and now he was alone once more. He had gotten used to it of course, as years of being ostracized by your peers was a difficult thing to ignore, but those days had kindled in him a terrible, awful desire for love. Terrible because after all the easy hand holding and hair mussing and gentle touches and words, he now felt real _longing_ for those things; when he’d never known how they felt, he never had any reason to miss them. It may have scared him some at the beginning, but Takimaru had sincerely worried and fussed, even _cared_ , and Harry just _couldn’t forget._

Harry was alone here; Uncle Vernon ignored him or yelled at him, Aunt Petunia (save for the occasional lapse) regarded him with neutral scorn and had struck him twice, both times at her very worst, but that hadn’t happened in years. Dudley –when they had been smaller –hadn’t been a bully; what he _had_ been was a rather awkward and impressionable child, and he had never really learnt when to tone his behaviour back and when to go on. Sometimes the old nature still shone through, like when they bickered harmlessly over who should fetch the mail, but the incidents were few and far between. Harry didn’t remember when his cousin had changed and sometimes he missed the old Dudley, but nowadays whenever the older boy _did_ pay him attention –it didn’t make him feel special, it made him feel singled out.

So he avoided them by endlessly traipsing from one end of the neighbourhood to the next endlessly, keeping to himself as much as he could and growing so, so tired each day he did. When even that grew boring, he ended up walking through the middle of an unfamiliar suburb, and ventured farther from Privet Drive then he’d ever gone before –which by all miracles actually _helped_. As soon as he was out of range by a few more streets his mood improved and he could actually muster up some energy again –which was incredible as now he could make it to the Soup Kitchen two neighbourhoods over to get some dinner.

This carried him to the end of two weeks in number four, to that night’s dinner at the kitchen table –the first supper he received in the house since his Uncle had found him in the backyard. It was an experience that he would gladly utilize his f- Gourmet Cells for if it meant he could escape the strained atmosphere and icy attitude from his Aunt. Dudley periodically kicked him in the same spot on the side of his leg, Uncle Vernon muttered about ‘teenaged hooligans’ who had disrupted his workday and Aunt Petunia was silent, acting as if her nephew wasn’t at the table at all.

Harry couldn’t _help_ but ruminate on his meals at the Knight’s Lodgings; the interesting food, Takimaru explaining things to him, never once getting angry, the promise of _more_ that was continually and patiently repeated to him. These thoughts only depressed him, and as he stared at his plate of plain chicken, feeling as if he might fall asleep then and there, he almost didn’t notice it at all...

... _almost_.

Harry sat up slowly, his eyes wide; disbelieving because it _couldn’t_ be happening now, it couldn’t be happening _again_. A gentle tugging behind his navel drew his gaze instantly, as different from the last two times he’d felt it as breathing was to drowning; he stared down at his stomach and noticed that familiar, bright light flickering at the edges of his vision. Unbeknownst to Harry, the light had garnered his family’s attention as well, though it wasn’t the same as he was seeing it.

“Wh-What are you _doing_ , boy?!” Vernon yelled, startled by the yellow-green glow that crept steadily into his nephew’s glazed over eyes. Harry didn’t respond, too busy trying to wrap his head around the fact that it was happening again, it was _happening again!_ The Dursley’s all jerked away from the table when he flickered out of sight for a brief moment –watching him intently, simultaneously appalled and yet unable to tear their eyes away. Then the seven old flickered again and everything about him was still; his eyes glowed even in the brightly lit kitchen, and he didn’t seem to be breathing.

Harry could only see one thing; the wonderful, blessed realm of light and warmth that he had so wished for the past two weeks. His relatives weren’t his priority anymore –indeed, he had all but forgotten they were in the room at all. A cheerful whoosh of air blew into his face and he was in the cold, dark place for a split second –what he didn’t know was that his body had blurred, flickered and then disappeared altogether from his family’s kitchen, leaving behind nothing but an empty chair and a single, half eaten chicken breast on his plate.


	6. Not An Idiot

SPOILERS

Harry didn’t recognize anything around him. He knew he was no longer at number four; being pulled away had felt far too real, if painless this time around, and what he could see in this closet he landed himself in held no resemblance to any of the cleaning products in their own supply closet. Yet at the same time he was fairly sure he wasn’t in the Knights’ Lodgings either –there wasn’t any evidence yet to that, but there was something about the way the air tasted or smelled that didn’t click the same way.

Nervous, Harry pushed the closet door open and stepped through as quietly as possible, wincing at how the floorboards creaked underneath him and he tripped a little on a loose tile while exiting the closet. Even with his glasses on his vision wasn’t the best, and Harry resolved then to ask Takimaru about getting that sorted out once he found the man again.

He stepped out into a large room that was split cleanly into three sections; there was a portion filled with white wood furniture and a hammock that marked it as some sort of bedroom, a portion with red and yellow furniture that seemed to serve as a dining/living room hybrid, and the last was a kitchen with well worn dark green countertops and appliances. There was an open window in the kitchen that let in clean light and the raucous sound of a crowd from outside, and Harry noted that the whole place was scaled down slightly –he could actually reach things on the table without a chair.

Harry tentatively walked further into the house; there were shelves behind the dining room table that were full of wrestling paraphernalia and cookbooks, and there were cooking utensils and pans hanging from the ceiling on overhead racks. Three enormous refrigerators took up an entire wall of the kitchen, each covered in notes and magnets and other such things.

The racket still going on outside dimmed briefly, and Harry finally found the courage to pad into the kitchen, looking around for a phone. If there had been any doubt before there certainly wasn’t any now –Harry wasn’t in any place he knew. He hoped he was at least still in the Human World; Takimaru had told him was far easier to navigate than the Gourmet World was, and safer to live in besides. Harry wondered somewhat hopelessly if he would find Takimaru at all, in this part of the planet where Tokumaru had said held a population of thirty billion people. The person who lived here might not even know who the Gourmet Knights were, or where Simple Diet Hill was, they might not even speak English; he didn’t know if anyone in the Human World spole Punjabi either (even though he himself didn’t know much more than a grade school level).

“Don’t be an idiot! I’ll be right back!” Harry stiffened as a deep, gruff voice boomed out just before the front door burst open and smacked into the wall loudly; he didn’t even have the time to hide before the presumed owner strode inside and stopped dead at the sight of him.

Harry was continually being impressed by the eccentric appearances of those in the Human World; the man was only about a head taller than Harry, which explained the low countertops, and had black hair like him, but that was where the similarities abruptly cut off. He was dressed in an orange wife beater and a bright red speedo, and the upper half of his face was hidden by a pink and black luchador mask. He had skin several shades lighter than Harry’s, and –as most people here –seemed to be of some manner of Asian descent. He had incredibly hairy arms and legs, and his mane of hair swept out from underneath his mask all the way down to his mid thighs. He was staring at Harry in shock, mouth hanging and eyes wide, but it was when Harry fidgeted under his gaze that he exploded.

“AAAH! Ya idiot!” He bellowed, not moving any closer but pointing an accusatory finger at Harry –he took an instinctive step back. “What’re ya doin’ in my house?!”

“I-I’m sorry!” Harry hastened to answer, holding his hands up in front of him. “I don’t –I didn’t mean to be in here! But I have –mmn –I have G-Gourmet Cells and they –I can’t control them! I really didn’t mean to, they just dropped me here!” The man raised a hidden eyebrow at the explanation and looked Harry up and down sceptically, but he did appear significantly calmer. “I promise I’ll leave, I just –please, do you know where Simple Diet Hill is?”

“Course I do, I ain’t an idiot!” The man exclaimed, not as loud now but just as energetic. Then he sighed, his face softened and he went to go sit at one of the stools at the counter, gesturing for Harry to join him. “Well, I’m a bit of one.” He nodded at his own statement, and waited for Harry to stop fidgeting before he spoke again. “Right now you’re in my restaurant, Sushi Fortune-Telling Monchy. I’m Monchy –who’re you, besides an idiot?”

Harry straightened, not so much afraid of the weird old man anymore with the way he was speaking to him now –and that he was the owner of an entire _restaurant._

“My name is Harry. I’m _really_ sorry, Mr. Monchy-”

“Shut up, idiot!” Monchy snapped, but he didn’t sound angry, per say. “My brother Nonchy is the mayor of Eco Land, you think I haven’t heard of the kid those Gourmet Knight idiots are all up-in-arms about lately, huh?”

Harry opened and closed his mouth a few times, silently uncomprehending of both his great luck and what Monchy had told him. “They’re worried? About me?”

“Don’t be an idiot, idiot!” Monchy said heatedly. “They practically got everyone they _know_ lookin’ for ya! IGO, Hunters, Chefs, the works! I’d’ve done somethin’ too if my fortune-telling wasn’t only good for ingredients, idiot!”

Hearing this made something tug at Harry’s throat, so similar to when he cried but also tingly and so, so pleasant. The seven year old sniffed a little but no tears escaped him –instead he smiled brightly and let out a bark of bubbly, relieved laughter. Monchy didn’t acknowledge the happy reaction beyond averting his eyes pointedly and scratching at his chin in thought.

“Please –Mr. Monchy, do you know how I can get back to Simple Diet Hill from here? I don’t want them to worry, and I left before I could... I –I really need to get back!”

Monchy didn’t speak right away, which made Harry think that he might have said something wrong, but eventually the chef huffed and cracked a grin. “I can’t take ya myself –got too much work piling up, but I _can_ get ‘em to come here and get ya. It should only take ‘em a couple of days.”

“Really?! Thank you so much!” Harry exclaimed, smiling brightly but bowing his head to stare at his hands; he had never felt so grateful, and it actually did make him tear up a little this time. Monchy nodded in acknowledgement and hopped off the stool, looking Harry over again with a more critical eye.

“You stink, idiot.” He said bluntly, and Harry blushed tomato red. “C’mon, those idiots can wait an hour or two for my Ehou Maki to fall –let’s get you cleaned up. Ain’t no way you’re helpin’ me out otherwise...” Harry nodded and followed the old man outside, so happy that he barely even noticed the crowd milling about until Monchy started yelling at them to take a hike for a bit.

He would be going back soon!

Vvv

Aimaru closed the door to Takimaru’s room as softly as he could manage, holding his breath so as not to wake the distressed and _finally_ sleeping Knight he left inside. The courtyard down below was dark and silent in the early morning, but was not as empty as he expected it to be. Aimaru offered Tsukimaru and Kagemaru a strained smile, sighed and then scrubbed at his face with his hands. He pushed his dishevelled hair out of his face, gave one parting look at Takimaru’s door, and then motioned for his comrades to follow him as he silently jumped down and then walked through the open area towards his own rooms in the administrative building.

The search for little Harry was not going well.

“What have you found?” Aimaru asked promptly once they were safely inside his office, not bothering to sit with his nerves frayed. Tsukimaru shook his head once, and Aimaru chose not to push; the IGO and Gourmet Police hadn’t turned anything up. Kagemaru was the one to speak, tone even and expression as sympathetic to Aimaru’s current state as it was ever going to get.

“Toriko-san called me a few hours ago.” Aimaru focused completely on his scarred friend and nodded for him to go on. “He has ventured as far into the Gourmet World as his current abilities allow... he could not find even a trace of Ha-kun’s scent. The only areas he has picked it up remain the same as before.”

“It makes no sense.” Aimaru muttered only half to himself. “Brunch already discerned the nature of his cells. Gourmet Cells don’t just –they have never shown the capacity for teleportation before now –it’s unheard of.”

“Eliminate all other possibilities barring the unknown...” Tsukimaru murmured soothingly, leaning forward to grasp Aimaru’s shoulder like he had since they were kids; Aimaru sighed again and reciprocated the gesture.

“...I also received a call from a Gourmet Mafia member named Ram.” Kagemaru continued slightly awkwardly, still unsure about how to handle concrete evidence that one of their members was... friendly with such people. “They have scoured Nerg and the Jiddal Kingdom, and found nothing hence. You did not miss much whilst staying with Takimaru.”

When Takimaru had barged through his door, distressed and shocked at his own account of Harry’s disappearance, Aimaru had wasted no time in gathering the third tier Knights and contacting the authorities about the missing child. According to Kagemaru, Takimaru had made several calls of his own during Aimaru and Brunch’s examination of the guest room, and one of those calls had been to the Don of the Gourmet Mafia himself, Match. It was a connection that many had speculated on, but had been given no evidence of until that moment, and it explained Takimaru’s interest in Nerg and Jiddal the last few years with startling ease.

And it was indeed as if their young guest had simply blinked out of existence, not a thing left behind of him save for the too large clothes he had originally been found in. While Brunch left to find Toriko at Aimaru’s request, the Knight’s leader had stayed to try and soothe the fallout from Takimaru’s attachment to the child. It wasn’t often he involved himself in such things –Satoumaru was still a registered Gourmet Therapist –but he felt it was more than warranted when it concerned his own son.

“Taki cannot _take_ this.” Aimaru muttered tiredly, thinking back to the few minutes he had waited for the younger man while Takimaru was finishing a personal call. In his naiveté he had briefly thought that maybe Takimaru had grown too far to need his comfort anymore. As soon as the call ended, Aimaru found out how wrong he had been to think such a thing.

“Takimaru is a stout, tough lad, and he is pulling through.” Kagemaru told him firmly. “He has experienced enough loss in his life that he knows how to deal with it properly –this shall not destroy him. Until Ha-kun is found, all anyone can do for him is to lend him their support, something you have been giving unconditionally, Ai.”

Aimaru was silent, and then let out a long, slow breath. “You’re right, I am acting the fool. Of course Takimaru is strong –I think I sometimes cannot help but recall the boy from back then instead of seeing how he is presently.”

The trio was quiet for some time, not knowing what else to say with another day of anxious waiting on the horizon. Aimaru’s only hope was that Takimaru could find it in him to sleep another few hours; with how little he’d been sleeping lately, if he woke up so soon it would be nigh impossible for him to get back to it. The Knights’ leader was just about ready to tell his friends to go and get some sleep of their own when he was startled out of his tiredness by the sudden blaring of the phone on his desk.

“Hello? This is Aimaru of the Gourmet Knights.”

“Wait just a minute, ya stupid! Now what do I press...”

“N-Nonchy-san?” Aimaru said, bewildered, but waited as told, listening intently as there was a soft click and the voice on the other end switched from the mayor to a gruff sound, like someone clearing their throat.

“This is Monchy from Sushi Fortune-Telling Monchy. I’ve got that little lost idiot of yours here with me now.”

And Aimaru froze in shock. It was so, so rare that situations ever resolved themselves this easily –for Nonchy’s own brother –for someone as well informed as–

“Ha-chan is there? May I speak to him?”Aimaru tried to keep his composure, but his voice was strained nonetheless –he had to confirm Monchy’s claim with his own ears before anything else could be done. The eccentric chef told him to wait (muttering ‘idiot’ as he did), and behind him Kage and Tsuki moved closer in an attempt to hear the rest of the conversation.

“Mr. Aimaru? Is that you? It’s –It’s Harry.” Aimaru let out a great rush of air in relief; Harry was safe, Takimaru would be so relieved and now all he had to worry about was getting his distressed protégé to Skill Garden as soon as possible.

“Ha-chan! Are you alright?” Aimaru asked, a mite less calmly than he had intended –but if Harry had gone back to his family as he had theorized (there was no way Monchy wouldn’t contact them straight away), then it was the best question he could think to ask. “We’ve all been so worried, especially Takimaru. You sit tight; we shall come to get you just as soon as we can.”

The child miles away from them hiccupped, trying to hold in his emotion. “I’m, I’m okay, Mr. Aimaru. I’m sorry for worrying you. How –How long will it-” Harry choked on the question.

“We can be there within two days, Ha-chan. Until then, you just stay with Monchy-san and be good, alright?” Aimaru gripped the phone tightly and tried to convey his relief through the line. “Eat properly and do what he asks of you, we shall be there soon. I would let Taki talk to you, but he’s exhausted –can you wait to see him?”

There were some sniffling noises from Harry’s end, but then his voice spoke up clearer and brighter than ever. “I can wait! And I promise to be good, I’ll eat and help Mr. Monchy with his cooking and clean and do what he asks until you get here! So-” Here Harry cut off his earnest babbling rather suddenly. “-so, please get here, soon.”

“I promise.” Aimaru told him seriously. “It must be nearing the evening where you are –go on and get some sleep unless Monchy-san needs help with anything, okay?”

“...okay. See you soon, Mr. Aimaru.”

After Aimaru placed the phone down onto its stand, he stood in silence for a long moment, letting the relief wash over him, taking with it all the bitter doubts and thoughts of the worst scenarios he had endured these last two weeks. Kagemaru and Tsukimaru were waiting expectantly when he was calm enough to turn back to them –Aimaru wondered if it was concern for Takimaru that made his friends so vehement in their recent search. Even with Takimaru’s newly confirmed ties to the Gourmet Mafia, they were steadfast; it was something that Aimaru hadn’t thought twice about (with one of his friends being ‘The Glutton’) but he knew it would give others some cause for distrust.

“Kage, would you go and let know that Ha-chan has been found? I’d also like you to contact whoever was brung about on favours –Toriko firstly, if you would, though belay letting the Gourmet Mafia know –I have a feeling Taki would be the better choice of us.” The scarred Knight nodded once and left without so much as a by-your-leave. “Tsuki, please go through as much due process as you are able with the IGO and the Gourmet Police, and have a representative meet with me on the Express train sometime before Taki and I reach Skill Garden. Also, please take care of any other organization that may have taken interest –the Provider’s Guild in particular. I shall leave you in charge while off retrieving Ha-chan; I’m counting on you.”

“I shall do my best, Ai.” Tsukimaru replied quietly, tilting his head before he as well vacated the office. Aimaru spent a few short minutes in his quarters; finding his away bag, leaving out his contact lists for Tsukimaru and the rest, before he decided all was well and he started back over Takimaru’s room.

He _had_ been hoping that his protégé could get a few more hours of sleep if possible, but now that Takimaru’s charge had been located Aimaru thought it more prudent to get him up and on the train as quickly as he could. His ills would be soothed, he could sleep on the way there without having to worry, and would benefit more in the long run as opposed to being left to sleep for a few hours more. It seemed like no time at all had passed before he was striding back into Takimaru’s room, flicking the lights on and causing the groggy man on the futon to bolt upright with a confused groan.

“Ai-san? What’s happened, is all alright?” Takimaru sputtered once he had untangled himself from his sheets, staring at his leader and none-too-subtly flattening down his hair to cover his eye.

“Ha-chan’s been found, Taki.”

 The younger man stilled instantly, processing the sentence; when it finally registered he was a flurry of movement, practically jumping off of the mattress to scramble for a clean shirt.

“He has? Where? From your pack, he isn’t in close travel. He isn’t –he isn’t _hurt_ is he?” Takimaru pulled on his travelling boots and reached for his away bag. “Aimaru-san?”

“Calm down, Taki.” Aimaru said as his son put on a jacket and shrugged his bag onto his shoulders. “Ha-chan was come upon by Monchy-san over at Sushi Fortune-Telling Monchy, and he called me a few minutes ago to tell of it. I did speak with Ha-chan and as far as he has told me, he is alright, if in some distress that we won’t be there another two days.”

Nodding, Takimaru turned to his father figure, grateful that the older man had woken him despite the obvious dark circles still under his eyes and his less than graceful footwork. They made their way to the stables swiftly, the only words spoken along the way were the ones Aimaru directed at a few members he had specific requests of while they were away.

Takimaru was tired, emotionally worn out and both hungry and thirsty, but right now he could put all that aside until they were on the train and headed towards the ‘Craftsman’s Forest’. As they rode out towards Eco Land and the Gourmet Express Train, Takimaru began thinking of all the things he would have to do now, if Harry’s erratic Cells were going to become a regular problem.

(He hoped they didn’t.)


	7. Reunited

SPOILERS

Takimaru and Aimaru arrived in the ‘Craftsman’s Forest’ just after lunch, a day and a half after they boarded the Gourmet Express Train in Eco Land. The long ride had given the two Knights enough time to further sort out Harry’s affairs; Takimaru called Match the moment they were on their way and Aimaru met with an IGO official halfway through the journey. It had taken several long hours to go through the appropriate paperwork for just Takimaru’s guardianship, but there were a number of new forms and reports to fill out now on top of that. All manner of documents; about Harry’s Gourmet Cells, his location, his former residence and his treatment, doctor’s records and an appointment to register his Gourmet ID, and then formal statements about the contingencies to ensure the child’s safety should this happen again.

Takimaru had only been present for the most important of those forms, having finally passed out once his adrenaline had run its course, and only woken up two other times the entire journey; once to eat and the other when they had been ten minutes inbound to Skill Garden’s station.

Now that they were here, Takimaru’s anxiety had risen again, simmering below his skin as it tended to –spurning him into fast, calculated movements through the throngs of people crowding the platform. Aimaru laid a hand on Takimaru’s shoulder once they had cleared the station, hoping to calm him enough that he didn’t accidentally smother Harry when they saw him. They didn’t really know how his time away (with his relatives or otherwise) had affected him, no matter how he had sounded over the phone; Takimaru being anything other than perfectly reasonable might not go over very well. The younger man smiled sheepishly at his leader and slowed to a halt, taking a few seconds to perform a watered down version of his pre-shot routine that many Knights utilized for everyday focus.

“I –My apologies, Aimaru-san, I’ll –I will be fine now.” Takimaru said after taking a shallow breath. “I simply cannot stop my thinking, and once it’s upon me my body takes leave of my control. Following after Ice Hell it has happened a few times during my periods in Nerg City –it does annoy Match-san to no end, let me tell you.”

“It happens to everyone Taki. Just remember to think of Ha-chan firstly, as your personal experience may not carry you the breadth of this path. Parenthood, especially unexpected, will often leave you floundering about things you thought you knew, let alone things you don’t.” The pair set out again, this time at a more relaxed pace, Takimaru following in his leader’s wake and mulling over his advice. When they got further from the station they started to run into Skill Garden’s signature specialty restaurants and art shops; there was a cluster of businesses before their ultimate destination, but even from here they could already see the Ehou Maki that Monchy was sought after for, rising above the ‘Craftsman’s Forest’ like a tower.

They stuck to the path but kept their eyes on the enormous sushi roll while they drew closer, eventually catching the sounds of loud cheers and excited yelling coming from the base of the fortune telling food. There was no sound of an announcer yet, which told them more than anything else that they still had a ways to go. Takimaru kept himself calm, and focused on Aimaru’s back the rest of the way, not particularly wanting to look around and risk getting ahead of himself.

“-can’t believe it! Look at that!” A familiar voice trickled into their ears once they passed a bend in the road, magnified through a speaker so they could hear it clearly but still not see the hyped up owner of the shout. “Hit with a spray! The –uh –Sugar Vinegar Blinding Spray! He has the Ehou Maki backed into a corner!”

“That cannot be who we’ve come to see...” Aimaru said, but he was grinning at Takimaru, looking about ready to cackle.

“I _do_ think it _is_.” Takimaru laughed at the loud roar from the crowd just visible in the distance.

“And –And now he’s wrapping the Ehou Maki in his finishing move! The Reverse Rice Suplex Wrap! The Ehou Maki is begging for mercy –it’s done for!”A deafening cheer rose as the towering sushi roll was wrapped all at once, and then there was silence. The two Gourmet Knights stopped at the edge of the crowd to observe the Ehou Maki’s iconic fall, an event that made all the spectators and the surrounding structures wobble and shake from the sheer weight of the thing. Once the clients started to eat, the audience began dissipating, and the pair finally caught sight of Monchy lifting Harry down from a high stool, the seven year old clutching a piece of paper that was likely a list of Monchy’s wrestling moves. The boy was dressed in a well fitting pastel pink polo and brown capris, and fairly glowed from the compliments that some of the passersby gave him on his announcing, looking more at ease than when he’d disappeared from the guest bedroom.

“Don’t be an idiot, ya did great! Better than the idiot from last time, I can tell ya that!” Monchy was saying loudly, making the child beside him giggle and smile at the praise. Monchy tilted his head slightly to the side and grinned when he saw the quietly approaching men. “Don’t look now, idiot.” He said to Harry. “But I think a couple of _your_ idiots just showed up.”

Harry stood there unmoving while Takimaru and Aimaru stopped advancing a few paces behind him. The adults saw him take a deep breath before whirling around, fixing his eyes on Takimaru and stilling again like a deer in the headlights; it made the first tier Knight laugh slightly to see it.

“Two days, hence we promised, Ha-kun.” Takimaru said; Harry’s expression brightened like the sun, and he let out a small happy sound before darting forward to grasp at Takimaru’s hands, holding them tightly between his own and forcing the Knight to stoop low.

“Taki-niisan!” Harry blurted out, and Takimaru’s face was one of pure shock –when did –had Monchy taught him that? For once Harry didn’t notice the change of the man’s expression, as he kept smiling brilliantly and went on. “You’re here, you’re here! I was good like I said, I helped with cooking and Monchy-ji let me announce for his wrestling-cooking –and I learnt lots of stuff about lots of ingredients and –y –you’re _here_!” Tears started to drip out of his eyes, and even though he was still smiling he began sniffing and blinking rapidly as well. “I –I want to live with you, Taki-niisan! Really, I really do! I wan-anted to tell you –before I left but –but I couldn’t and –and-”

“Oh, Harry.” Takimaru felt a surge of affection –was this what Aimaru felt towards him, that the older man would call him his son? Harry dissolved into hiccupping sobs and Takimaru extracted his hands from the child’s grasp, pulling Harry to him and hugging him tightly while the seven year old clutched at his shirt.

“Maybe we should go inside, have some tea –Monchy-san?” Aimaru asked the chef.

“Just about to suggest that, ya idiot. C’mon.” The old man replied gruffly. Takimaru scooped Harry up and stood, following after the other two at a sedate pace so that his passenger could have more time to calm down. The past two weeks had been filled with stress, worry and self doubt for the Knight, but now that he could _see_ Harry, comfort him and talk to him, Takimaru was surprised to find that it had all lessened. There was still an underlying anxiety –they didn’t know if or when Harry would phase out of their lives again –but he could manage that just fine now.

“Is –Is calling you ‘Taki-niisan’ alright?” Harry whispered, face turned away but the back of his neck tinged so dark as to look unhealthy. “Monchy-ji told me all about honorifics after I asked what ‘Ha-chan’ meant –and I just thought-”

“You shall call me _whatever_ you wish to, Ha-kun. In fact, you should call Aimaru-san with Ai-ojiisan, I think he would rather like the title.” Takimaru assured, only partly teasing (the Knight’s leader really was as good as Harry’s grandfather now). “And as to what you tell, about wanting to live with me –as soon as we are back to Simple Diet Hill, you shall be.”

Takimaru felt Harry nod against his shoulder as they entered Monchy’s home –the personal quarters as opposed to the restaurant. The eccentric chef was already bustling away with the kettle and a small platter of food suited to the Gourmet Faith, so Takimaru took Harry over to join Aimaru at the table in the middle of the room.

He accepted the cloth Monchy offered him once everyone was seated, and deftly wiped Harry’s face while the tea was being poured. By the time the group settled Harry was calmer –if a little puffy eyed –and sat in his own chair next to Takimaru, nibbling on a Black Bonnet Cookie.

“Ha-chan, pray tell us what happened two weeks ago?” Aimaru began easily, sipping at the tea; Garnet Orange was a favourite among their ranks for its easy and natural preparation, and he was no exception. Harry nodded, glancing at Takimaru and Monchy before turning back to the Gourmet Knight’s leader.

“I was lying down, talking with Taki-niisan after Brunch-san left, when the light came.” Harry said this all carefully, trying to remember it exactly –but he didn’t really want to remember, and so it came slowly. “It hurt a lot, like before I left Little Whinging. It got dark and cold, and I was scared, but then the nice light came back and I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was back in my cupboard. Aunt Petunia said that Uncle Vernon found me asleep in the backyard, and that I’d been gone a week.” Monchy muttered the word ‘cupboard’ as if he had never heard it before, and Aimaru briefly closed his eyes.

“I didn’t stay at number four too much. I felt really, really tired the first week, but I didn’t want to be there so I stayed awake. When I got a ways away from Privet Drive I always felt better, so I walked around outside all day when I wasn’t at school. Because I used my G-Gourmet Cells, I didn’t get any dinner for a while, and the first dinner I got from my aunt –it happened again, but it didn’t hurt that time. I landed in Monchy-ji’s closet over there and surprised him.”

The explanation was simple and probably left a lot of things unsaid, and it was just what the two Knights had expected. Takimaru wasn’t going to pry –if Harry wanted to tell him something then he would in his own time –so instead he nodded and added to the mental list he was amassing of preparations for a possible repeat of the situation.

“You were not hurt whilst you were there? Did your relatives do anything else to mistreat you?”

“Dudley kicked me under the table a bit, but that’s all.”

Aimaru was relieved that Harry hadn’t suffered irreversible damage from his stint back in his relative’s home, but he knew it would still take a long time to repair all the existing harm already done. “Now, tell us, Ha-chan, what did Monchy-san teach you that had you excited so?” Aimaru changed the subject for now, smiling at the cheerful expression on the seven year old’s face.

“Monchy-ji let me help with cooking his really small Fortune Sushi! He taught me how to cook a bunch of different types of rice and told me all about some of the live ingredients people’ve brought him!” Harry gushed promptly, staring at the old man with a bright smile. “I’ve always cooked at home, but Monchy-ji helped me so I liked it this time. And everyone who came into the restaurant for a meal were always really nice to me –even the older ladies! I thought they might not be, ‘cause no one in Privet Drive can stand me for very long, but they said I was cute and asked if I wanted to hear some stories.”

 _It’s not just his family?_ Takimaru thought, incredulous. _What kind of place does Harry live in, that the_ community _would treat a small child badly for his Gourmet Cells? Perhaps an area that’s had bad experience with users in the past?_

Harry didn’t notice Takimaru’s thoughts, and continued on with gusto. “Monchy-ji showed me some of the shops too, I got to have Fissure Tea at the Steaming Kettle because he said it would help me get better faster! We picked out new clothes, and Monchy-ji bought me new shoes too –see?” Here, Harry pushed out his chair and displayed the sturdy, black slip-ons they hadn’t noticed before.

“You were very kind to do so, Monchy-san.” Aimaru said, making the chef bluster and cross his arms.

“Y’ _idiot_! I couldn’t let the little idiot wander around barefoot and stinkin’! ‘Sides, I ain’t hurtin’ for money.” Monchy grumbled the last part, hoping the idiot didn’t insist on thanking him further. Aimaru just smiled serenely and turned back to regard Harry, just as the seven year old perked up and called out to him.

“Ai-ojiisan, when are we going back to Simple Diet Hill?”

Takimaru chuckled at the look on his leader’s face.

Vvv

Due to the sheer size of the influx of tourists the Gourmet Train brought with it to Skill Garden, there had been a long standing agreement between the station and businesses that after the noon train left, the one from the oncoming direction would delay its arrival until noon the next day, and then there would be two days with no trains set to arrive. Luckily for Harry, the train that Aimaru and Takimaru had boarded had been the former of the two, and so they only ended up staying at Sushi Fortune-Telling Monchy for the one night. Harry was eager to get back to Simple Diet Hill, of course, but that didn’t stop him from being very sad that he would now have to leave Monchy, whom he had grown to like very much in the two days he had stayed with him.

“For the nth time, I don’t mind, ya little idiot!” Monchy reiterated on the station platform, ruffling Harry’s hair firmly but grinning despite. “Ya’ve got my number, so call whenever! ‘Specially if y’r idiotic Cells act up again and you’re nearby! Got it?!” Harry nodded and adjusted the new back pack he and Takimaru had picked out for him (inside it was the paper with Monchy’s phone number on it, his extra clothes, and a Citrus Banana), squeezing the Knight’s hand as he did and drawing a smile from the man.

“We shall make sure he visits sometime, Monchy-san. I do thank you again for your hospitality.” Takimaru said, bowing deeply before looking over to the station’s large clock. “We best be boarding. Come on, Ha-kun.”

“Okay. Bye, Monchy-ji!” Harry bowed as well and waved as they entered the train, and was quiet up until they had reached their small room halfway down the carriage. The trip being two days, the little compartment had three bunks bolted into the far wall, a table surrounded on three sides by cushioned seats underneath a large window, and an attached bathroom. While Harry clambered onto the far couch to stare out of the window, Takimaru stowed their luggage in the closet and then followed Aimaru to the table as well.

The first few hours of the train ride passed in relative ease; Harry alternated between staring at the passing scenery, fascinated, or reading one of the books a train attendant had procured for him. They visited the train’s cafeteria car around suppertime, and Aimaru worked through a stack of forms after that; Takimaru occupied himself by describing where they were passing by, helping Harry with unfamiliar words or concepts in his books, or doing reading of his own. Both adults were waiting until Harry had fallen asleep to discuss the elephant in the room, so they could work out the finer points of it without worrying about being interrupted.

When Harry passed out around seven in the evening, tuckered from his own enthusiasm and his full stomach, Takimaru took a few minutes to transfer him over to the lowest of the three bunks before he rejoined his leader at the table. Just finishing up the last of an IGO report, Aimaru didn’t speak for a minute.

“He is buzzing as a Watt Bee.” Takimaru commented fondly, a noise of agreement sounding from his leader. “I wonder if it is not something to do with his cells –he told he felt chronically tired while at his relatives and awake when out of the house, and here he has barely been able to sit still.”

“I’ve thought about it, last night.” Aimaru said. “His cells may be linked more directly to his emotions than others. He did not want to be at his relatives; therefore his depressed mood slowed his Gourmet Cells down, resulting in even more of a lacklustre state until he was able to gain a reprieve. He is happy to be back, so apply the same concept. It only means that along with meditation, we should teach him rudimentary Cell exercises so he won’t get caught in a spiral.”

“It is really all conjecture at this time.” Takimaru pointed out. “Until Ha-kun is able to feel his cells out on his own, we will not know for sure what is happening to him, even with Brunch-san’s assessment offering guidelines. And it does seem that it is going to happen again, before he can gain mastery of his abilities.”

“We shall prepare him the best we can. We have already been doing so, in a manner.” Aimaru said diplomatically, folding the forms up and stowing them in one of the little drawers underneath the table. “His check up with Amara-san comes the day after our return, and his Gourmet ID registry the day following that, so his health we can put out of our minds for the moment. You were at rest when I made the statements, but I have already set into motion several fall backs should this happen to Ha-chan again.”

“You have?” Takimaru had suspected, but it was a relief to hear it confirmed. “What manner of fall backs?”

“The IGO and Gourmet Police have a watch bulletin prepared in advance, to put it in motion we only have to call them. Once Toriko returns from his and Komatsu-san’s impromptu vacation, I’m going to ask him to familiarize himself with Ha-chan’s scent and cells, so he can locate him from far off if the need arises.” Aimaru listed calmly. “On our front, I have prepared a letter for him to give to his aunt and uncle if it comes to that... strongly worded is putting it mildly. I will have a talk with him about all of this, perhaps after his Gourmet ID registry, and you shall take him to get essentials for his bag –clothes, a sleeping mat, map and tools –as well, I’ve already sketched a tentative schedule for lessons. He shall start on meditation, focus training and mindfulness firstly, so as not to lose control of his cells accidentally, and once he gets a grip on those I plan on starting him on his Gourmet Cell manipulation, geography, compass and map reading, survival skills and basic cooking knowledge, maybe a simple pre-shot.”

“How do you _do_ it, Aimaru-san? I did think of only half those things, and certainly not to the extent of you.” Takimaru waved off his own question and sighed. “Shall I even do much for Ha-kun hence?”

“You only need to be there for him. What Ha-chan needs, more than preparation, is someone to watch out for him and guide him, love him, as a father would. What if I told he needed to be your top priority, Taki?”

“I _want_ him to be my top priority.”

Aimaru sat and thought on his son’s words for a few minutes, and then he leaned across the table and took Takimaru’s hands in his, smiling with an apologetic glint in his eyes. “...You know, when you came back from Ice Hell, I did think that something had changed. How _stubborn_ you were, how _bold_ , making me realize I should take that Life medicine, making me see how foolish I was acting; dear Acacia, I’m forever grateful you did. Then you were at the Cooking Festival, and I saw something else.” Takimaru blushed and smiled awkwardly, unsure of where this was heading. “You fought alongside the Gourmet Mafia and Gourmet Hunters without pause, and you had become stronger, much stronger than you were before I fell ill. Toriko left to retrieve Komatsu-san, and I’d never seen you work so hard before, I’d never known you to be so dedicated...”

“Aimaru-san?”

“Looking at you now, I truly feel a fool. How could I not have seen how far you’ve come?” Aimaru shook his head and squeezed Takimaru’s fingers. “I didn’t see it after all the time you spent in Nerg and Jiddal, working tirelessly with the Mafia and the IGO. Not after the months you spent with that Teppei, coordinating with the younger generation of Gourmet Revivers. Not even when you came home carrying Ha-chan, straight backed and gentle and _more_ than you had ever seemed before. How short sighted I have been... Taki, you have long since earned a place in the second tier, can you ever forgive me?”

Takimaru stared at his leader in shock for a good thirty seconds, hands slipping out of his hold without his permission as he tried to process what the other man had just said to him. “There’s nothing to forgive.” Was the first thing he said; immediately, faintly, like he was convincing himself just as much. Then, “Aimaru-san –you think –am I truly _ready_?”

“Mm. The mere fact you are unsure means you are.” Aimaru held a closed fist over his smile and let out a slow breath, thinking about his next words. “You... asked me to keep you in first tier until you had reached your full potential, because you felt it was expected of you. Taki, you have grown far beyond first tier, far above that which you seem to have set as your limit. I want you to _continue_ to grow; first tier is there for those who want stability or a place to thrive, second tier is for those who see their own flaws and will – _want_ to rise above them. Accept my judgement; surpass your limits, keep on with your own endeavours, and take the time to learn how to see Ha-chan as your son.”

“...I shall. Thank you, Aimaru-san, for this opportunity.” Takimaru lowered his head in a bow, still sitting with his hands outstretched on the table. “Ha-kun will be my top priority. I shall call Match-san and Teppei-san about reorganizing our efforts for the next few months at _least_. I shall be the one to take charge of his meditation and focus lessons; I may not be an expert at much but this I know how to teach. And I’ll _also_ have to write to these... relatives of Harry’s.” Takimaru glanced over at the still sleeping child and a dark glint bloomed in his good eye. “Would ye’mind terribly if I was to look over the letter ye’ve already addressed? In so I don’t... retread any old ground.”

Aimaru stared for a minute before shaking his head. “How _did_ I miss it?”


	8. The Early Hours

SPOILERS

They were greeted upon their arrival in Eco Land in the early evening by their two horses and the eccentric masked man himself, Nonchy. Harry had taken one look at him and his eyes had gone as wide as saucers, until Aimaru had introduced Nonchy as Monchy’s brother and the mayor of the town they stood in. That had endeared the seven year old to the pseudo-wrestler well enough, and after a well deserved meal accompanied by a brief tour of the town for Harry’s benefit, the trio had climbed onto their horses and set off at a steady trot towards Simple Diet Hill. For the entire journey Harry was filled with a nervous energy and could barely stand to sit still for even a minute; not only was he going back to where he had tentatively begun thinking of as his _home_ , but he was also currently travelling by horse. That was something Harry was sure that Dudley had never gotten to do.

The first time Harry saw the outside of the Gourmet Knight’s base and lodgings, sometime around eight in the evening, he didn’t even know what it was he was looking at.

The two distinct buildings had been carved directly into the cliff, the nearest one being four stories tall with its facade lying flat, while the building a dozen or so feet to its left was a semi circle of doors and open halls five stories high, bending inwards so that there was a small courtyard sheltered by walls of sheer rock*. The wood that made up the outsides of the buildings was a warm, reddish brown, with white window sills and dark brown doors, and the occasional colourful chair or clothes line nearby. There was a smaller building half hidden to the right of the nearest one, which the horses were headed to of their own accord, and after a few minutes of steady walking Harry could make out that it was in fact a stable.

“Taki-niisan?” Harry asked hesitantly, looking up at him with furrowed brows in an attempt to discern what it was he was missing.

“Welcome back, Ha-kun. You have never beheld the outside of the Lodgings, have you?” Takimaru said, smiling when Harry whipped back around to stare at the buildings.

“W-We’re here already? Where was the guest room I stayed in? Where’s yours?” Harry inquired wonderingly, eyes scanning quickly and picking out little spots of movement behind the closest window in what he would later learn to be the administrative building. A minute later Harry shivered in the evening breeze and tucked his arms into a pretzel. “...where are we going now?”

“To the stables, so Del and Toro can be settled for the night.” Takimaru answered easily, shifting his arms to cradle the boy securely, simultaneously preparing to pick Harry up and slide off of Del’s back. “Then, you and I shall be heading to bed. You especially need rest for your doctor’s appointment on the morrow, and after these past weeks I could use a _full_ night’s sleep in mine bed. We will get your room set up later.”

“...and I can see the Gopher Cows? Tomorrow?” Takimaru couldn’t see it, but Harry was smiling when he asked, curling even further to try and ward off the creeping cool of the encroaching night.

“If time allows.”

Vvv

Takimaru huffed in amusement at the sight before him when he rolled out of bed the morning after their return. Early morning sun streamed in through his small window, the door that adjoined to Harry’s room was cracked open, and the boy in question was wrapped in a burrito of blankets and sandwiched between the wall and Takimaru’s futon. Takimaru stretched his muscles and flattened his hair over his bad eye, then quickly turned his alarm clock off before it could blare and disturb his ward.

He almost couldn’t believe he was in this position right now; just a few days ago he’d been beside himself with worry, and now Harry was sound asleep and –more importantly –safe. Takimaru took in a steadying breath and started to get ready for the day. He felt refreshed, light hearted –as if he had just taken a spoonful of Komatsu’s Century Soup and savoured it as long as he possible could.

“Mmn –Taki-niisan...?” Came a slurred little voice, then a head of dark, messy hair popped up from within the nest of fabric. “Is it time t’ get up?”

“I do say. Ha-kun, were you asleep there the whole night?”

Harry blushed darkly and hugged the pillow close to him with one arm while he tentatively reached out to Takimaru with the other. Takimaru scooped him out of the cocoon with care, pillow and all, and waited patiently for Harry to work himself up to answering him.

“I... it’s... it’s really big in there.” He admitted. “My –My cupboard’s small, and the other room was small, and the hammock at Monchy-ji’s didn’t let me move around much, but it’s big in there. I’m sorry.”

“Nay, cheer up, no sorry to be had.” Takimaru assured him immediately, brushing the cowlicks flat only for them to spring right back up –Harry obviously needed a proper bath. “It is expected that you are not used to it, and I do not mind it if you sleep with me sometimes. Why, how do you think of fetching a hammock or a futon instead of that mattress, hm? Does that mend your worry?”

Harry nodded silently and smiled, so Takimaru made a mental note and moved on to getting Harry ready to go out. Takimaru had Harry pick out the clothes he wanted to wear that day along with a towel and washcloth, and then they made their way out of their rooms and up the stairs at the end of the hall that took them to the hot spring on top of the cliff the Lodgings were built into. Hygiene was important in the Gourmet Faith, and even more so was embracing nature and therefore themselves –Takimaru was firmly of the opinion that shame was taught, and wasn’t about to let Harry feel ashamed of his body when he was already unlearning being ashamed of his very _cells._

The bathing springs were a small, natural formation in the rock, more common in this part of Simple Diet Hill due to the way the rocks underground heated the water –as opposed to the volcanic springs on the other side of Eco Land that were close to boiling or becoming geysers. There were three pools branching off of one large central pool; one was sectioned off and used for those who were sick or injured, one had been modified so it was shallower and had seats and platforms for those who were pregnant or with small children. None of the four were split by gender, but of the two left open the main pool tended to be all ages while the other was for adults.

Takimaru directed Harry to a small building off to the side and showed him where to stow his clothes, then how to use the washing taps, and _then_ onto the general etiquette that was expected. About forty-five minutes later, following a thorough scrub and a soak in the main pool (it didn’t surprise Takimaru that Harry needed to learn how to swim), they dressed in clean clothes and Harry dutifully shouldered his backpack. After that they returned to their rooms and went about brushing their teeth –although Takimaru also spent a good amount of time making sure Harry’s hair was brushed and pinned out of his eyes.

“Taki-niisan?”

“Mm?” Takimaru murmured distractedly, reaching over Harry’s head to snag a few hair pins off of the counter. “Tell me, Ha-kun?”

“Is there a way I can get my eyes fixed?” He asked, eyes glazed over as Takimaru fussed with his unruly hair. “These glasses don’t help at all.”

Takimaru thought about the question for a few moments before replying, trying to phrase it in a way that Harry would easily understand. “There not be any... _natural_ remedies of ease to come by. There are affordable synthesized medicines and treatments, surgeries that can correct vision fairly well –even your Gourmet Cells may fix it on their own if you leave it... if you wish to, I can arrange to take you in to have it mended.”

“...but there’s something else.” Harry stated more than asked.

“In a manner.” Takimaru admitted. “One of the Gourmet Faith’s main tenants is to reject man-made or artificial medicines, and to accept your body the way it is –the way that it naturally came to be, though I would bar an onset disease or something like gender confirmation surgery, like many others would. I follow that tenant myself, but _you_ are not a member of the Faith or the Knights even though you live with me hence. It shall be your own decision, as it is your own body, but I personally feel you should wait to see if your Gourmet Cells will fix the problem before you consider something like surgery.” Takimaru pinned the last errant lock of hair back, and smiled fondly as Harry slid his glasses back into place. “We need to get you new glasses before anything, so when we see Amara-sensei we shall ask about other options. Do think about it, and we shall go from there.”

 Harry hummed contemplatively and then nodded, hopping down from the little stool and briefly staring at himself in the mirror before grabbing Takimaru’s hand so they could head down to the kitchens.

Vvv

“Taki-kun, this wouldn’t be your young man that you told tale of, would it?” Oumaru asked the moment they stepped over the threshold to her kitchen. Harry started at the sudden appearance of the pregnant woman and stood stock still at Takimaru’s side while she inspected him –he looked almost like a different child if you ignored his characteristic scar and glasses, with his long bangs pinned back and the sides starting to grow in. “Oh, you poor thing, look how thin you are! The both of you shall sit to that table and eat what I cook for you! Taki-kun, is he still on a restricted diet?”

“Yes, he is to be fed calcium rich, easy on the stomach meals for now, and if Brunch-san left you any ideas for compatible Ingredients then it would be remiss to disregard them. Ha-kun, this is Oumaru, the chef who made your special meals while you were recovering.” Harry’s eyes widened in recognition, and he seemed to struggle with himself for a few moments before letting go of Takimaru’s hand and going over to tug at Oumaru’s apron.

“Yes, sweetheart? Tell me.” She asked, moving down to one knee to talk to him –Takimaru heard Harry stutter again for a minute before he spoke to the matronly woman more confidently.

“Thank you for the food you made me. I really, really liked it.” Oumaru smiled brilliantly and cooed at him as if he were one of her own children.

“Oh, you’re very welcome Ha-chan, I do love it when I hear tell that people enjoy eating my food! Do you want anything _special_ for breakfast today?” Takimaru stared at the conversation taking place, never having thought to ask Oumaru about how she parented her own kids –it was obvious now that that was a major oversight on his part.

“Uh, mm, maybe –maybe scrambled eggs? A-And Gopher Cow milk?” Harry stuttered again, exceedingly hopeful for even those common ingredients –Oumaru kept a straight face but Takimaru knew that underneath it all she was very concerned. “But, w-whatever you’re making is fine with me!”

“Scrambled eggs it shall be!” Oumaru declared, standing and walking purposefully over to the largest of the three fridges that were in her kitchen. “With some fruit I do think, oh, and some toasted Bacon Seeds for protein... Taki-kun, you’ll fetch this young man his milk, yes?”

“Of course. Ha-kun, could you go and wait at the table while I do, please?” Harry nodded immediately and went to go clamber up onto one of the chairs while Takimaru walked over to join Oumaru at the fridge. Takimaru waited until he was sure that Harry was securely seated before taking his eye off of him. “Brunch-san did speak with you about Ha-kun’s compatible ingredients?”

“In fact he did. He left me a list of the most apparent ones he could pinpoint –I’ve still held onto it, so I’ll give it to you hence. When he is settled, are you thinking to enrol him in Katsumaru’s classes, Taki-kun?” Oumaru asked, juggling two King Eggs in her one hand and a bag of Bacon Seeds in the other. “My oldest son’s in year three. I don’t know if you’ve seen him of late but he’s around Ha-chan’s age and already loves to teach his siblings what he learns in class, I’m sure they would get along.”

“I saw Daikon briefly just after he was born, so it has been some time. We are not sure yet of how long Ha-kun shall stay with us before he is spirited away once more, but if he so wishes to then I shall talk with Katsumaru-san about an arrangement.” Takimaru answered neutrally, pouring the Gopher Cow milk exceedingly carefully. “Even if he wishes to though, I may hold until his health has stabilized. You recall what the medic said...”

“The poor dear, I’ve seen that vacillating confidence before in the kids we took from abusive homes –now I do see exactly why he is on such a special diet. Thankfully it looks as if he’s managed to just avoid malnutrition, though I would recommend continuing to have him eat as much and as healthily as he can until he starts to recover steadily. Do bring it up again with Amara-san when you see her, alright?” Oumaru said seriously, and Takimaru agreed with no hesitation.

“I shall –when I did speak with Monchy-san he said he noticed as well and altered the food accordingly, even had him drink the Steaming Kettle’s famous Fissure Tea. Aimaru-san is going to have a discussion with Ha-kun about it tomorrow, so do not worry, Oumaru-san.” Takimaru touched the chef’s arm sympathetically and then turned to go and sit with his charge, carrying the requested glass of milk as he did.


	9. Bonnet

SPOILERS

“Now, we just need to give you this vaccine, Harry-kun, and we’re _all done._ ” Amara told him kindly, showing him the little needle filled with clear liquid.

Aimaru may have been able to eat the sources of illness, but after he had nearly died from the effects of consuming Takimaru’s Gourmet World disease, there had been some changes. The Gourmet Faith, while one of its tenants was rejecting man-made and artificial medicines, had always been a great supporter of naturopathy, and this had allowed for that sect of medicine to make great leaps and strides over the years. Once Aimaru had fully recovered from the Life medicine, he had made it mandatory that every child in the Knight’s care be vaccinated and had thrown his weight behind a campaign for similar policies in the Faith proper. Many people did already, but with his weaker constitution Aimaru had needed a break –and that meant lessening the sickness in the immediate community first and foremost.

It helped that the country of Life had flourished alongside the development of the Faith –nowadays it was very easy for naturopaths like Amara to make a living even far away from the medicinal mecca. Especially close by to a population like Simple Diet Hill, where almost no one used artificial cures –Amara had developed many of the now commonplace natural curatives herself to give them more options. In the years since, Aimaru had started treating afflicted people once more, but stayed firm with his promotion of the truth –vaccination was entirely natural and simply boosted antibodies in your system, and it would help more than hinder in the long run.

“It’s to protect you from a lot of Human World diseases that can hurt kids your age. There are only eight doses in there, which might not seem like much, but it’s designed so that they overlap in your system and protect you from a whole slew of other stuff. All I have to do is sterilize your shoulder, and a second later I’ll inject the vaccine. Are you alright with that?”

Harry nodded from his seat up on the examination table; they had gone through a full check up already, went over his options for vision-correction, drawn blood to do some quick tests, and so far she had explained everything to him as it was being done. They had even looked over Brunch’s list of compatible ingredients in order to find a diet that would help him overcome his malnutrition as fast as they were able to, and the list was now safely inside Harry’s backpack because he had insisted that he could take care of it. She had also prescribed him calcium pills so he could supplement his intake even when he was unable to east properly. Harry held out his arm for the doctor to do what she needed to, and curled the fingers of his free hand into the fabric of Takimaru’s sleeve while she inserted the needle methodically; Takimaru stood beside Harry, glad that they were getting this done so quickly and with minimal fuss.

“There, all finished!” Amara announced, putting the needle away and smoothing a bright purple bandaid over the tiny dark spot on Harry’s shoulder. “You did great, Harry-kun! I’m very impressed.”

“Thank you, Amara-sensei.” Harry replied, smiling bashfully at the praise.

“Now, I need to talk with Takimaru-san about a few boring adult things. If you want to you can stay, but you can also go with Frill-san and he can take you on a quick walk. What do you think?” Amara asked, and Harry looked from her to Takimaru silently for a few seconds.

“...I’ll stay here.” He eventually decided, hopping down from the table and going to sit in the seat beside Takimaru’s.

“Sounds good, sport. Okay, Takimaru-san, you have all the papers you’ll need to sign –I expect them back with me by the end of the week, do you hear me?” Amara told him firmly –she was used to the forgetfulness of Gourmet Hunters, and Knights were no exception even if they were a tad more apologetic about it. “Stick to the diet and he’ll be right as rain within a year, but if he doesn’t stay that long then impress on him the importance of simply eating _something_. Even if you have to go to a Soup Kitchen, do you understand Harry-kun?”

“Yes, I’ll make sure I go.” Harry told her sincerely; he had been to the local Soup Kitchen during his two weeks away, but he had also used to go to a langar in Staines-upon-Thames when he had enough time and energy to walk that far, and they generally had healthier food than the Soup Kitchen (though he knew that both places were just doing their best with what they had).

“Good lad. I’ve already sent off the request for his Gourmet ID information, so since you’re getting him registered tomorrow I’ll let you know whether it goes through or not and we can decide on another appointment.” Amara glanced at the computer for a moment, obviously understanding what looked to Harry like coloured squiggles from his line of sight. “We’ve eliminated a lot of the side effects from low volumes of natural cures, but Harry-kun’s been given these, with the eight compatible vaccines all at once. He _does_ have Gourmet Cells –I’m as far from an expert as you can get about those, but what I do know is that they generally lessen side effects and boost the desired outcome of medicines, especially natural cures. So he might experience minor muscle aches, soreness around the injection point, and a slight fever, but he also might not. If you’re worried, give me a shout and I’ll come back right away.”

“I do thank you for this, and on such short notice, Amara-sensei.” Takimaru said. “We always appreciate your accommodation.”

“Eh, I owed Ai a favour. Now, I’m sure you have things to do –get out so I can pack up.” Once Amara had turned back to her computer, Takimaru took Harry’s hand and left the temporary doctor’s office, bidding Frill goodbye on their way down the hall.

“Are you ready to go into town now, Ha-kun?” Takimaru asked Harry once they had got more than a few paces away from the room. Harry nodded and hitched his nearly empty pack higher onto his shoulders, excited to be getting a few things of his very own even as he was still trying to wrap his head around the concept –it wasn’t as if he didn’t _own_ anything, but most of what he did own used to be Dudley’s.

“Well, it is not too far a gander from here to Simple Diet Hill proper... mayhaps about ten minutes. What do you feel about heading there now?”

“I don’t mind walking.” Harry said. “Ten minutes is really close, isn’t it?”

Takimaru nodded but didn’t answer right away. He led Harry through the hallways easily –Harry was still unfamiliar with how the Knights’ buildings were laid out, so he stuck to the older man’s side like glue. It took them no time at all to reach the front of the administrative building, and once they were outside Takimaru paused, tapped Harry on the head and lifted him up with no trouble at all so he could sit on Takimaru’s shoulders. Harry squeaked in surprise and flailed for a moment before he realized that with Takimaru’s hands on his shins, he wasn’t about to fall off any time soon.

“We do not want to tire you so soon after getting those vaccines.” Takimaru told him as he started walking down the gravel and dirt path, Harry’s eyes swivelling around to stare at all the rocky pillars and cliffs that surrounded them. “If you feel up to it you may walk on the journey back, but do now enjoy the view, alright? Simple Diet Hill has eluded you as of late.”

“Okay.” Harry agreed, hands hesitating a few seconds before lowering to rest on top of Takimaru’s turban. “I... I think I’m going to wait until I’m all better, before I think about my eyes.”

“If you so wish to, Harry.” Takimaru said seriously. “Do not feel pressured from my suggestion. It is your body after all, and you should be comfortable in it.”

Harry was silent for a few steps, staring down at the cheerful orange fabric under his hands, the crunch of the gravel under Takimaru’s feet relaxing him. “Is it the Faith that says you should wear a turban? I remember that Akimaru-san didn’t...”

“Many different cultures in the Human World incorporate turbans or similar head coverings, like the people who live in Sand Garden, for one. In the Faith, it is more of a personal choice.” Takimaru explained. “It is standard to teach adherents about pressure points from a young age, and to a lesser extent teach about pre-shot routines along with that; so it is common for those who are less proficient in that area to wear a turban. There are bones and pressure points on the head that benefit from being wrapped, and different wrapping styles reflect that –once you have a grasp on how to tell the difference, that is. Nowadays, it is also a starting tradition for Gourmet Knight members to receive one at their induction from a family member –though just like ‘maru’, it is also gaining popularity in the Faith as a whole.”

“What does yours mean?” Harry asked.

“I did once have attention and anxiety problems as a child, so Aimaru-san started me on pre-shot techniques to try and lessen the burden. It was not enough at the time, so he taught me this style, which does put pressure on three separate points that promote focus, tranquility and self awareness –I am speaking simply, it is more to do than that. I am a bit different among the Knights, because I have a better grasp on pressure points than most, but I still wear one.”

“D-Did you know... that there’s people who wear turbans where I’m from, too?”

“Really? As ours?”

“K-Kind of, the styles are different from the ones here, and they’re called Sikhs... and they wear them ‘cause it shows that they’re all the same in the eyes of Waheguru. Everyone who’s taken the Amrit –er, been baptized –is supposed to wear them...” Harry trailed off a little uncertainly, having not needed to remember things like this for a long time; Takimaru squeezed his shin to show he was still listening. “...my mum and dad were Sikhs, Aunt Petunia says.”

“That is... thank you for telling me, Ha-kun. I do think I have heard about this same thing somewhere else before, but I shall have to speak with Aimaru-san to be sure. How do they differ from mine?”

“They cover all of the hair, usually, because hair is important –you aren’t supposed to cut your hair at all. There’s all kinds of different ways to wrap them too, but I can’t remember if they mean anything.” Harry coughed gently. “The book on the Faith you gave me said that... when you commit to the Faith you add ‘maru’ or ‘suke’ to the end of your name, but not everyone does it. Sikhs have the same thing; boys have ‘Singh’ as a last name, and girls have ‘Kaur’, but sometimes people just have them as a middle name. Aunt Petunia doesn’t because she didn’t take the Amrit, but someday I might want to –they were always nice to me when I went to the langar to eat.”

Takimaru felt as though he should be writing down everything Harry said to remember for later, as some of the things he was divulging about his home were absolutely fascinating, even if Takimaru didn’t fully understand a lot of it. For now Takimaru was just thankful that he had a bit more information to go on in order to narrow down where Harry had come from –he was _sure_ that he had heard of a similar sounding group before, if he could only remember where...

“Ah, is that it there?” Harry piped up, poking the side of Takimaru’s neck softly to try and get his attention back. Takimaru looked up from the path and saw that they had lefty the rocky area behind, and the wall surrounding Simple Diet Hill was few dozen feet in front of them; distinctive golden coloured plaster rising up to their waists, interrupted every hundred feet by a dark brown gate. Beyond the wall were a few one story buildings made of the same dark wood and gold plaster, parted by the path leading from the gate nearest to them to the small central courtyard which housed the market. Before the two of them passed the gate, Takimaru swung Harry carefully off of his shoulders and onto the ground, opening the little door for him to walk through.

“I-It’s sandy!” Harry exclaimed in shock, standing on the boardwalk that snaked between the small grassy patches behind each house, but which rested almost entirely on sand the colour of saffron. “But it was just rocks and forest back there! Taki-niisan?”

Takimaru chuckled at his charge’s confusion –Harry did so remind him of his younger self. “Simple Diet Hill does lie in the middle of an area with a very divided environment. Presently we are sat on the beach of a small sea, whereas the Lodgings dwell in the cliff and forest area, then there is the craggy desert area I found you in, and Eco Land is beyond that, in the grasslands. There is also a swamp over yonder and a snowy mountain more ways off –you should be able to see it on the way back.”Harry stared at a tiny ruby coloured lizard in the sand a few feet away, before he noticed another not too far off, and then another and another. “That is the reason for buying you a few heavier clothes straight away; while Simple Diet Hill itself usually remains fairly warm all year, the Lodgings experience a brief winter and are a bit cooler on average.”

“Okay.” Harry agreed easily, eyes flitting around to spot the small lizards wherever they popped up, holding Takimaru’s hand so they didn’t get separated –Simple Diet Hill was neither large nor bustling, but caution had its merits. “And I’ll keep a few in my pack, right? With other stuff?”

“Mm, exactly.” Takimaru replied. The boardwalk in front of them widened abruptly to turn into a large circular deck about a city block in diameter. There was an incredibly old Sand Ginkgo tree rising out of an opening directly in the middle of the circle, and along the edges were either the entrances to stores or temporary stalls; you could get any essentials you needed here, though nearly ninety percent of wares adhered to the Faith in some manner. The market was slightly less busy than usual today, so as they began their circuit past the stores they didn’t have to wait to see much.

The first stop they made was a small shop that sold glasses, where they picked out two separate frames and a case and left the optometrist with Harry’s prescription. They would pick up the finished frames on the way back to the Lodgings, but for now they needed to get the rest of their shopping finished.

                “We shall do a quick walk around now so you can see what is being sold, Ha-kun.” Takimaru said as they exited the glasses shop. “Then we shall do a second round to choose what you want. You will pick out the clothes and a few new books while I take care of the more technical things, okay?” Takimaru asked as they wandered by a stand which sold Humble Cabbage and nothing else. Harry made an affirmative noise but his eyes were fixed on the stands and storefronts –probably trying to remember where the things he was interested in were located. Occasionally he would get a longer look, as many of the shop owners or their employees knew Takimaru personally and he never refused a chat.

                “So you did find him then, Taki-san?” An elderly man asked, peering around his stacks of Box Melons so he could see Harry in full. Harry flushed at the reminder of his absence –and the concern it had caused. “Good lad you are, always knew you should be a father at some point. Ever since you and Korosuke had your first date...”

                Harry looked up at Takimaru to see that he was blushing red, free hand on the back of his neck in an action Harry somehow knew meant he was embarrassed. “Yes, well, it’s –it is _certainly_ a blessing to have Ha-kun return to us. Give Korosuke-san my regards, Ujisuke-san!”

                They went through the next few stands somewhat quickly, and Takimaru’s blush lessened the further they got from the old fruit vendor; Harry wondered a little why he was acting like that, as it wasn’t as if Ujisuke had said anything too odd. But Harry didn’t want to pry into things that weren’t his business, so he let Takimaru hurry him along since it seemed like it would make him feel better. The last store they needed to look around in on this first check sold bedding and camping supplies, so Takimaru had Harry peruse the travel beds while he spoke to the store manager about putting together a few things for him before they came back.

There were all kinds of beds here, from the incredibly fancy fold outs that only a professional Gourmet Hunter could afford to the cheapest items that may have only been layered cuts of sacking. Harry took one glance at the flashy and colourful displays for the more complicated or expensive pieces and disregarded them near instantly –instead he wandered over to the corner display that sold the travel hammocks and thin bed rolls. He didn’t need anything more, really, especially since he was already used to kipping on a thread bare mattress in his cupboard and indeed, had grown almost fond of it. As he picked up and inspected each item, he considered the places that he had woken up in or been transported out of; the forest, the ridge of the cliffs between the Lodgings and Eco Land, the Dursley’s backyard and the Artisan Forest to ponder a few. All varied in climate and how long he had been there, and that may be a problem.

“Taking trouble, Ha-kun?” Takimaru asked from behind him, startling him slightly. “What are your thoughts?”

“Uh –I was just thinking about the places I ended up, because of my cells.” He told Takimaru promptly. “When I first... passed out, I was in a forest. But when you found me, there were no trees around, and I just didn’t know whether I should pick a hammock to keep if I might find myself in a place with no trees to tie it to.”

“In every way, Ha-kun, that is just the sort of thing you should be thinking about.” Takimaru praised. He took a quick look over the discount display and then shook his head –he moved a few feet away to another shelf and glanced up and down the length of it. “Here.” He eventually said, picking up what looked to be a rolled up mat. “This is called a Swag. See here-” He turned it over to show Harry a diagram printed on the side. “-it rolls out into a bed and is covered in a waterproof case that you can prop up to make a tent if there should come rain. And what is handy about _this_ one is that it has pieces on the end, so that it can be a hammock if you want it to be, and the tent can become a tarp for the rain, too.”

“Oh...” Harry picked up another from the shelf that was army green and was surprised at how light it was. “I-It’s not too expensive, is it?” All the zeros on the price tag worried him, but the money symbol was different from the British Pound, so he didn’t know if it was even the same.

“No, not particularly.” Takimaru told him, setting the red one back. “Even if it were to cost me an arm, I would still consider it, because you want it to last as long as it can. Do you like it?”

Harry inspected the example diagrams again. “It looks nice... I’ve never had to choose one before though, so I don’t really know.”

“Then let us get it. I have used one of these before and while they are not luxurious, they do make things more comfortable.” Takimaru said. “We can leave it up at the front with the things that Abutsu-san is collecting, and if you wish to look a little more when we come back then we shall do that.”

They were on their way again, and little by little Harry’s backpack was being filled up with new or nearly new things he’d never had before. He got several more shirts, sweaters and pants as well as a pair of rubber, insulated boots and some under-things, and then a coat, a hat, a wallet, and a small but well stocked first aid kit which Takimaru promised to sort through with him soon. He received a hunting knife that he would be shown how to safely handle in the coming days, a book to write phone numbers and addresses in, and he picked up several books from the second hand shop, all of which he’d neither seen nor heard of before. And there was also a pack of tools such as a compass, hammer and pliers, a flash light and batteries, a reusable Gourmet Case and Water Bag, a Human World map, a collapsible cooking set, and then finally the Swag, which fastened onto the top of his bag by some buckles so that it would cushion his head if he ever fell backwards.

On their way back to the Lodgings, Harry insisted on walking beside Takimaru as opposed to sitting on his shoulders, citing that he didn’t feel at all faint from the vaccines so he should be able to. It didn’t seem even half as long as it had taken to go the other way before they were coming up on the circular courtyard and Harry was blushing as a few unfamiliar Knights waved them over and asked him about himself and how he was faring.

When Takimaru finally excused them from the conversation, the first place they went was back upstairs and into Harry’s room, where Takimaru had him lay out all his purchases onto the bed so they could properly sort it into his pack or his dresser. Most of the books and about half of the clothes went over and into the drawers while everything else was folded up and arranged so it would fit easier and the weight was distributed better. Then Takimaru brought out the letters he was to give his aunt and uncle if he went back, and they spent about a half an hour writing in his address book, putting in all the telephone numbers of Knights that Takimaru knew, along with Monchy, Toriko (at Aimaru’s request) and Match (though Takimaru stressed to only call Match if it was life or death).

Lastly, once all of that was over and done with and the pack was safely fastened around Harry’s torso again, they found that they had a few hours to go before supper so Takimaru took the opportunity to go over why Harry had been given a hunting knife. Whether it was nice to think about or not, there might come a time where Harry transported himself to the middle of nowhere and needed to use it to either keep himself safe or feed himself. It was not a toy, as Takimaru told him quite seriously, and if he didn’t take it, or the rules about its handling seriously then they may as well stop now and forget about it. But Harry was determined to learn how to use it and swore he would listen and follow whatever Takimaru had to say on the matter –so up until dinner they stayed in the room and went over everything so that by the end Harry could practically recite it himself.

After dinner had passed and Harry had gushed about Oumaru’s meal to his satisfaction (they would be having dinner in the kitchen until Harry was a bit healthier, so Oumaru could monitor his intake), Takimaru decided to take him out and over to the Gopher Cow colony. It was still fairly light out so they had little difficulty taking the cliff-side staircase, though Takimaru chose to carry Harry at some points due to how narrow it became. When they finally came upon the cave that had been carved out of the rock wall –separated into two portions by a low fence that supported a feeding trough and sheltered a water pool, which had several Cows milling about as it was –Takimaru lowered Harry to his feet and drew him over to the Gopher Cow’s head caretaker.

“Takimaru-kun! I have not seen you in a long while!” Yukimaru greeted amiably, pushing his hair out of his eyes as they came closer to him. It _had_ been quite a while, Takimaru thought as the older Knight stood and leaned easily on his cane, prosthetic leg taking a few seconds to follow him before it moved smoothly. The last time Takimaru had really seen the other man it had been a few weeks after the battle at the Cooking Festival and Yukimaru had still been wracked with phantom pains then –he had lost his right leg from the knee down to one of the cannibalistic Gourmet Corp. members and had asked Takimaru to deliver his transfer request from the Four Seasons Group to the Gopher Cow supervisory. After that, Takimaru had started going to Nerg and Jiddal to help and they had always seemed to miss each other by scant minutes.

“Yes, I am sorry I have been absent as of late, Yukimaru-san.” Takimaru replied, conscious of Harry gripping his pant leg and his curious gaze directed at the Cows. “But I shall be back more often now, so I will be by to see you, truly.”

“Glad to know it.” Yukimaru brightened minutely. “I heard tell from Ai-san that you’re joining second-tier, congratulations.”

“Thank you, Yukimaru-san... Ha-kun and I di so come up here to visit with the Gopher Cows, if we are not keeping you?” Yukimaru laughed, which actually managed to draw Harry’s eyes away from the Fauna and up to look at the blue haired man before them –Takimaru was glad to see that he didn’t look as nervous at the prospect of a new person as he had come to expect lately.

“So, Ha-kun, you’ve taken interest in the Gopher Cows have you?” Yukimaru asked; Harry nodded and stepped slightly away from Takimaru’s leg. “Then come over here, lad, and I shall introduce you. I think one of Kir-eh’s calves is around your age...”

“Okay!” Harry chirped, adjusting his pack and giving Takimaru a parting look before he hopped over to where Yukimaru was waiting. Takimaru followed behind the two of them by a few paces and opted to listen in on their conversation.

“Kir-eh is one of our older Cows, and is also the one who has given birth the least in the colony. One calf every fifteen years since she was old enough to carry, where most have a calf every seven years or so; that’s mainly because Gopher Cows develop rapidly at first and then age at the same rate as humans do.” Yukimaru explained to an attentive audience, drawing up short as they reached the fence. “But Kir-eh is more docile than the others, so she dotes on the calves longer. This one’s her latest and he seems to take after her quite a bit... Kir! Kir-eh!”

At Yukimaru’s call, one of the Cows further back tilted her head and made a rumbling chirp-chatter sound not unlike that of a giant baby Raccoon. A second later she made the same sound again and slowly shuffled forwards towards Yukimaru, followed closely by a black puff of fur about a quarter of her size.

“Here, Ha-kun, this is Kir-eh.” Yukimaru told him, hand on his shoulder so he didn’t make any nervous moves as Kir-eh lifted her head up and settled it on the fence, blinking down at the two of them for a moment before she shifted forward and nuzzled her large nose into Yukimaru’s extended hand. “Gopher Cows don’t really rely on us for food or water –they can find all of that underground on their own, though we do provide it. They’re very social Fauna, and consider the humans that care for them to be a part of their colony on the same level as siblings, or sometimes offspring.”

“Taki-niisan said that Gopher Cows have _small_ colony nests though.” Harry said, surprising Takimaru again –he barely remembered telling Harry that himself.

“They _like_ big families, but truly can’t support them and I do think they are aware of this. Oh, by all accounts you’ve a visitor.” Yukimaru smiled as the calf came up to the fence mirroring his mother –if on the lower beam –and its long white tongue snaked out and licked Harry’s hand. Harry made an odd giggle-shriek but let the calf do as it pleased, and after a minute of tongue-inspection the calf retracted it and began to nuzzle his hand. “He should be abouts your age in Gopher Cow years, if I’ve any to say of it. See his tail?” Harry craned his neck and saw that it was shaped like a shovel and was about the same size on the calf as it was on the adult, just without so many ridges on top. “The number of ridges is usually how we tell. Their tongues and tails are the same size when they’re 90 as they are when they’re 9.”

“What’s his name?” Harry asked, and then abruptly sat down and scooted closer to the Fauna –and the calf copied him exactly, shuffling its six little legs so it could rest on its stomach and put its head on Harry’s crossed ankles. It let out a snuff through its nose and Harry cooed lowly at it.

Yukimaru and Takimaru shared a look. “We don’t name them until they turn brown –it’s easier to keep track of them in such way. But, how about you name this little fellow? He’s nearly there and he seems to like you well enough.”

 “ _Really?_ ” Harry asked incredulously, swivelling slightly to stare up at Yukimaru; the calf didn’t like that and started making a gurgling whine, not stopping until Harry comforted him.

“Why not? The names need to be chosen anyhow. It’s fine, right Takimaru-kun?” Yukimaru glanced at him again and Takimaru affirmed.

As Harry fawned over the calf, Kir-eh lost interest in Yukimaru and made her way a few feet over to the water pool. The two Knights took a couple of steps back from the children but kept a watchful eye on them regardless.

“Look at that, Takimaru-kun. He _is_ your son, isn’t he?” Yukimaru asked wistfully. “Oh, blood shan’t matter when it comes to children, not when you see yourself in them. How misguided I’ve...”

Takimaru didn’t respond except to incline his head, and after a few minutes Yukimaru had composed himself enough to ask Harry if he had thought of anything for the calf.

“Bonnet, like a Black Bonnet cookie.” He said, scratching behind the calf’s ear now. “Is that one alright?”

“I think it is a splendid, rounded name. But daytime is waning, so how about you get to bed and come back to visit another time? I’ll get a necklace for Bonnet to wear so you can tell him apart if you need to.”

Vvv

When Takimaru tucked Harry in a little bit after they left the colony, promising that they would be getting him a proper hammock when they went into Eco Land tomorrow and cocooning him in blankets to try and lessen his minute Agoraphobia, Harry felt a now familiar sensation start to bubble in his chest. Takimaru smoothed Harry’s bangs away from his eyes and smiled at him warmly, and Harry felt so overwhelmed in that moment he wanted to cry. But he didn’t, and when Takimaru clicked the lights off a minute later he settled for smiling into his pillow and snuggling deep into the burrito of safety surrounding him.


	10. Take to Heart

SPOILERS

It was the day after their excursion into Simple Diet Hill, and early that morning Takimaru had sat them both onto Del’s saddle and they had ridden over to Eco Land, which was where the nearest Gourmet ID clinic was located. Takimaru had checked Harry in with the receptionist immediately, but since they were there early they took the time to go over to one of the town’s few non-natural shops. There they found him a suitable hammock for his bedroom, along with a thin blanket for his Swag that was made out of a material that could warm or cool itself depending on the weather (it had been a tad expensive, but Takimaru wasn’t about to tell Harry that).

On their way back to the clinic they briefly met Nonchy on the street, and Harry chattered away at him comfortably about his time with Monchy in Skill Garden. Before they parted, the mayor asked Harry to come see him the next time he saw Monchy, as he liked to hear about his brother from those who visited him. Harry promised he would before Takimaru had needed to hurry them along, managing to get them back to the waiting room with a few minutes to spare.

_“Verily, it is as secure a thing as one can get.” Takimaru explained to him on their way to Eco Land that morning, to keep him from nodding off. “It records everything to do with what you have eaten in the past, from when you ate something to how many bites you took to eat it –and for those with Gourmet Cells it can tell what foods you have eaten in the past that you are compatible with. Amara-sensei is going to put in a request for that information along with whatever else needed, so if it is approved you can keep it with you.”_

_“Do I have to get it done again?” Harry asked._

_“It should be kept up every three years. Back some years ago many a terrible incident could have been far off and dreams had people kept up with it, but presently people are keen to have it in their thoughts. Some people still do not, of course.” Takimaru explained, thinking of the Cooking Fest battle and what Komatsu had told him had happened with the GT Robo at the Gourmet Coliseum._

When it came time for the procedure, Harry was settled neatly into the scanner without his backpack or Takimaru’s comforting presence, but tried to ignore that for the sake of the Gourmologist who was bustling around and explaining a number of things to him before it all got started. He listened intently to how the procedure worked even though he didn’t understand much of it, assured the young man that he would be fine in the enclosed space for how long it would take (two hours plus the typical twenty minutes since he’d never had it done before) and when offered either a CD to listen to or a movie to watch, he’d chosen the movie.

 _Robin Hood_ was a children’s movie about a Gourmet Hunter and Chef who lived in the forests of a long ago kingdom and stole Ingredients from the pastures of the rich to feed the poor. The movie was animated and colourful, had funny songs and followed Robin and Little John’s adventures as Combo Partners trying to outrun the Sheriff and the Prince, and at the same time save the lovely Maid Marian –and Harry liked it immensely. He wondered if there had been a real person like Robin or if it was just a story someone had made up, and resolved to ask Takimaru as soon as they were done here.

By midway through the scanning Harry had started to feel a little drowsy, and he only managed to hold on long enough to see the end of the movie before he finally nodded off –lulled to sleep by the last notes of the final song. It seemed as if only minutes had passed before someone was lightly shaking his shoulder and calling for him to wake, but he was _so_ comfortable that he really didn’t want to.

“Here, I shall get him.” A more familiar voice said from further back, and a split second later Harry was being lifted up and out of the scanning bed and into Takimaru’s arms –Harry could tell that it was him because he smelled like old paper and metal. As he woke up he wondered hazily why that was, but soon forgot that thought as Takimaru settled him upright onto a chair and he was pulled back into coherency.

“Good day, sir.” The Gourmologist said to him cheerily, drawing Harry’s attention away from scrubbing at his eyes. “Before we print out your ID card, I have to ask you some questions, okay Harry? Do you think you’re up for that?”

“Mmhm.” Harry nodded, shouldering his backpack swiftly –he felt uncomfortable, unsafe, without it there.

“Alright, let’s start with something easy. Your first name is Harry, spelled H-A-R-R-Y?” When Harry nodded, the still-unnamed man typed away into his computer. “Do you have a last name?”

Harry stalled, seized by a well known and unwelcome nervousness when it came to that subject. “Uh... uh, I. Po- I do-nnn. I-I...”

“He shall eventually. We will so change it when it arises.” Takimaru said, coming to his rescue and placing a steady hand on his shoulder to center him. “May we move on, Monroe-san?”

“Sure!” Monroe chirped, either disregarding Harry’s nerves or not noticing them at all. “Alright, your current guardian-”

The rest of the questions were easier on him, but Harry was still jittery from the ‘last name’ inquiry even after they had left the clinic ten minutes later. He had thought that he had gotten better at dealing with it, but as Takimaru hoisted the both of them up onto Del’s back and they started to make their way back to the Lodgings, he continued to quake as if caught in a chill wind. Takimaru hugged him close with one arm and Harry started to sniffle against his will.

“M’sorry.” He said quietly into Takimaru’s elbow, feeling him sigh gently and squeezed him even tighter after a beat of silence.

“Nay again, nothing to be sorry for. Does it bring back bad memories?” Harry nodded and sniffed again.

“My mum and dad aren’t alive anymore.” Harry admitted in a tiny voice. “Aunt Petunia told me that they didn’t have jobs and got drunk and crashed the car, and that’s how I got my forehead scar when I was littler. She always –always says my dad was the one to make my mum like that. And when she and Uncle Vernon have –have sherry in the evenings, I try not to listen but I can still hear her c-cuss him out, and –a-and I can hear it when I h-ear my name, too.”

Takimaru let out a breath and soothed Harry the best he could, managing to calm him after only a few minutes of tears but not feeling as if it were sufficient. He knew that Harry was going to have his important talk with Aimaru when they returned, but he wanted him to have some time to fully wind down before that –so when the stables came into sight some time later, he swiftly moved Del into the pasture and scooped Harry out of the saddle.

They walked in the opposite direction to the administrative building, back to the caretaker entrance to the Gopher Cow nest where Yukimaru was still supervising. The blue-haired Knight expressed some worry over Harry’s puffy eyes initially, but when Takimaru explained that Harry just needed a friend to sit with for a few minutes he understood and went to call for Kir-eh. The Cow padded up out of the nearest tunnel after several minutes of waiting, chittering at Yukimaru and once again trailed by a little black furball.

“You may go into their area for a while, Ha-kun.” Yukimaru told him as Bonnet snuffed and snorted excitedly at the sight of Harry. The calf scuttled backwards as Harry climbed through the fence, white ribbon around its neck swaying at the movement –and when Harry sat on the ground Bonnet whirred and recreated his position from the day before, only this time with its front four limbs on Harry’s lap as well.

While Harry was relaxing, Yukimaru stood again off to the side with Takimaru and carefully groomed Kir-eh with one of the long brushes; inwardly amused because he could tell that both of the parents were watching their children attentively even from here. A few minutes passed with only the occasional hiccup or whirr from Harry and Bonnet, when Yukimaru decided to address the elephant in the room.

“Is it simply he gets worked up easily?” Yukimaru asked in concern, glancing again at the puffiness around his eyes and the sickly look to Harry’s skin. “I do remember passing the guest room once whilst looking for Aimaru-san, and I did think I heard crying then, too.”

“He is emotional, and –honest. He mayhaps develop anxiety that will be... worse, than mine was.” Takimaru said. “But he as well opens up to people readily, and –he does not _trust_ them, to be sure, but he wishes to. I think in that respect he will have a better time in recovering.”

“And he is kind to the Fauna. That is a good mark with any child.” Yukimaru said, smiling as Bonnet elicited a giggling burst from Harry by flicking him in the nose with his tongue; Harry tried to blow on the calf’s nose in retaliation, but before he could manage it, Bonnet had bowled him over and they both ended up scuffling around the pen in what looked to be a game of chase. “If he turns out anything like you, he will be just fine, no matter where life takes him.”

“...Yukimaru-san, forgive my saying so, but you were not so sentimental in the past.” Yukimaru looked at him with a raised eyebrow but an open expression, not appearing offended. “Mayhaps it is just that we have not seen each other in so long, but I cannot help wondering –has something happened?”

“Nothing but time; like a wine, the longer I sit the fruitier I become.” Yukimaru jested lightly. “It’s happening to you too, truly, of course. It will do that to wine and to people both –the things we were known for and those we didn’t know we had grow stronger with age. But that just makes people more interesting, I do think.” Yukimaru looked back at Harry. “And because of that, I’ve started to rethink some of my decisions. But as of right now, there isn’t anything I’m dissatisfied with in my life.”

“I am glad to hear you say so. Should you need anything, feel free to ask it of me.” Takimaru offered, smiling as well when the calf did a strange motion that allowed it to turn around so swiftly that Harry was caught in an instant, laughing as he fell into the dust. “I think if we stay any longer Aimaru-san will be wondering what is keeping us. I suppose we shall be talking an awful lot now, would you not say?”

Yukimaru laughed and clapped Takimaru on the shoulder. “I think we shall! Ha-kun! Bonnet!”

Yukimaru’s call startled the two out of their little world, and within seconds they were both hurrying up to the fence. Without missing a beat Kir-eh used her tail to scoop Bonnet away and started to groom the calf, while Harry (smiling and flushed) quickly climbed through the fence and back to Takimaru.

“We must get you to Aimaru-san, Ha-kun.” Takimaru said in explanation, dusting off his charge’s clothes and straightening out his now uneven backpack straps.

“Okay. Thank you for calling up Bonnet and Kir-eh, Yukimaru-san!” Harry said, letting the caretaker pat his head.

“No problem at all. I’ll see you later.” Yukimaru answered, and with that Harry and Takimaru started to make their way back down the stairs and over towards the main buildings. It took them no time at all to navigate the halls to Aimaru’s rooms with Takimaru leading them –when they reached the open door, Aimaru was sitting at his desk and writing something out, but soon stopped when he noticed their presence.

“Taki, Ha-chan, right on time. Sorry, I’m of the mind to finish this and am so close...” He said quickly, motioning at the chairs in the middle of the room before he went back to his papers. Takimaru led Harry over to them and made sure he was settled down, but then explained that this was a talk just for Harry and that Takimaru would be picking him up in a few hours for dinner.

“So until such time, listen to Aimaru-san, yes, Harry?” Takimaru said, and waited until Harry agreed before he stood to leave. “I shall see you in a while, then.”

Aimaru continued to write for a good five minutes after Takimaru had let himself out, but once he was finished Harry sat up attentively, prompting his ‘grandfather’ to send a warm look his way. It was another minute before Aimaru was completely done with his business, then he stood and walked around his desk to sit at the chair directly on Harry’s right, setting his elbows on his knees and regarding Harry fondly.

“How have you been settling in since we got back, Ha-chan? Any trouble? I’m told by Yukimaru that you’ve made a new friend up in the caves.” Harry nodded, brightening at the thought of the Gopher Cow.

“Everything’s been really great. All of the people I’ve been meeting are very nice and... different, also, but not in a bad way! I like it. Especially Bonnet –that’s the Gopher Cow calf that Yukimaru-san let me name and play together with.” Harry grinned shyly at Aimaru and patted the shoulder straps of his pack. “It’s kind of hard playing while wearing my bag, but I’ll get used to it soon. So, uh, that’s the _only_ thing I’ve been having trouble with.”

“I’m too glad there hasn’t been more.” Aimaru told him. “Harry, this talk I am to have with you, it is very important that you understand what I’m going to tell you. So if you find yourself confused by anything, tell me straight away, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Well then, firstly, I have only a few expectations of you; it is important that you do your best to follow these, hence.” Harry straightened at this and tried to focus completely so he wouldn’t forget. “What I expect from you is that you eat properly when you can, be honest when asked a question, take your responsibilities seriously, and do your best to regain –and keep –your health. Do all of that, and I will be happy.”

“...I will.” Harry said promptly –inwardly surprised that that was all.

“Now I will tell to you those things that you will be responsible for. Your backpack and everything inside it are your possessions, and will help you in the future if you care for them properly; so treat them well and don’t take them for granted.” Harry nodded and gripped the fabric of his backpack strap –but before they moved on he asked Aimaru a question.

“What does ‘take them for granted’ mean?”

“It means, ‘to assume something will always be there, and forget that one is lucky just to have it’. For example, ‘one is lucky to have running water, and should not treat it as something that will always be around whenever it is needed –because one day it might not be.’ Does that make sense?” When Harry affirmed that he understood the concept, Aimaru moved on. “More will come later, but soon you shall learn meditation, how to focus, the theory of pre-shot routines, and mindfulness, which will help manage your Cells. These lessons will help you when you start learning how to really use your Gourmet Cells, so you should take them seriously.”

“As well, in your bag there are two letters, one from me and one from Takimaru. It may not be nice to think about, but it is very possible that your Gourmet Cells will spirit you away again, at least for a little while. Whence that happens, and if you find yourself in your relative’s company, you must give these letters to your aunt and uncle and have them read both. It shall be scary, but I know you can be brave and the letters may help with how you’re treated; do you think you can do this for me?” Aimaru asked as he cradled Harry’s hand, noticing immediately that Harry had drained of some colour at the thought of asking those _people_ to do anything. Harry shivered a bit but took several deep breaths to calm himself down, turning Aimaru’s encouraging words over in his mind as he did.

“I can do it, Ai-ojiisan. I will.” He said, trying to convince himself more than anyone; Aimaru didn’t drop his hand, but Harry’s pulse calmed down and so he went on.

“When you return from your relatives’, we don’t know where you’ll land. As soon as you can safely do so, you either call someone here and tell us where you are, or find a Gourmet Policeman and tell them that there’s a watch bulletin out for ‘Harry under care of Takimaru’. I shall write that down for you to put in your wallet so you’ll remember, but that’s what I need you to do if you show up in a strange place. And,” Here Aimaru chuckled a bit. “As I’m sure you’ve heard from Yukimaru, Gopher Cows like big families. I’d like you to go up and spend some time with Bonnet every few days, because there is no Fauna so loyal as one you grow older with. Bonnet will be a good friend to you, just as Toro is to me and Del is for Taki.”

Harry agreed earnestly to those requests, recovering quickly from his brief fright. Aimaru then went on to mention that a friend of his named Toriko would be seeing him to familiarize with his scent and cells so that they could find him easily if they needed to, which Harry was also fine with. Before Aimaru moved on to the last part of the talk, he took a moment to write down what he had gone over along with the watch bulletin information onto a slip of paper and make sure that Harry tucked it into his bag right away.

“Lastly, I will promise you a few things, and these I will uphold myself. And if I ever go against them or break them, you shall tell me so I can mend it.”

“Harry, you will always have a place here, no matter where you go or who you grow into, no matter if I disagree with your decisions or if you do something wrong, _no matter what._ You will always be safe here besides, and if you ever feel _unsafe_ then I will do what I must to change that.” Harry was wide eyed, startled by the unexpected –and moreover, almost unthinkable –prospect of this give and take between him and the Knight’s leader. “You may choose the life you wish to lead, and you will never be forced into being a Knight or following the Faith if you wish for otherwise. I will treat you fairly; like any other child we take in I will not spoil you or be strict with you, and I will do my best to help you in your life. But you are also my grandson, so you should come to me when you wish to, and I shall love you as I love your father.”

“Do you mean it?” Harry whispered.

“Take it to heart that I do.” Aimaru pulled his chair closer and Harry hesitated only a moment before he clambered up to sit with him, settling down into a hug. “Do you want to know what I told Takimaru, after he asked me what he should do with his life?”

“What?”

“’As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands. One for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.’ It’s something the former leader of the Knights, Tanitsuke, used to have written on his classroom chalkboard when I was very young. I learnt much later that it was a quote from a famous actress and Gourmet Humanitarian.” Aimaru let Harry fidget to get comfortable and then leaned back to relax into the chair –suddenly he was reminded of those late nights around the time Takimaru had first come to live with him, when his son’s anxiety had spiked and he hadn’t been able to sleep until Aimaru had held him. “The Knights are holden to a duty of charity, but the truth of the Faith is that there is just as much an obligation to yourself as to those around you. Promise me you’ll remember that?”

“I promise.”

Vvv

For the next few days, Harry trailed after Takimaru wherever the Knight went in order to settle in and learn the layout of his new home. Every day they rose a bit after sunrise in the morning, bathed and meditated for an hour, and then went to visit Oumaru for a proper breakfast. Their routine for the rest of the day was spotty at best except for keeping regular mealtimes; one day might have Harry practicing his writing while Takimaru had a conference call with Match or Teppei, and the next would find Takimaru taking him to visit with Bonnet and Yukimaru before they moved on to first aid training, knife handling, or laundry.

But even with the unpredictable schedule, Harry appeared happier and more energetic with every day that passed –there were bumps in the road, to be sure, but everything was so new and fascinating to him that those obstacles seemed to pass him by as if they weren’t ever there.

In actuality, it was Takimaru who had a difficult time adjusting to the new presence in his life; the Knight had received his second tier tattoos soon after Harry and Aimaru’s private talk, and upon the promotion his responsibilities when it came to Nerg and Jiddal increased while at the same time he attempted to spend as much time as possible with Harry. The experience of suddenly having a child –it was so different than he had envisioned it would be in his youth before the Knights, and was challenging in ways he would’ve never given mind to if he wasn’t in the thick of it.

Regardless of Harry’s agreeable demeanour he was by no means an _easy_ boy to raise (although Takimaru held no delusions that raising children was a walk in the park). Amara had reviewed his Gourmet ID records and found more deficiencies than she had originally detected, so Harry was set up on a strict nutrient-rich and Cell Compatible diet for the times he could be, and given a few more once-a-day pills for when he couldn’t. The seven year old also suffered from bouts of anxiety and stress attacks related to things that reminded him of his aunt and uncle, or if he thought that he had somehow done something wrong, and those episodes tended to occur hours after he encountered the trigger, late at night.

Whenever they happened, Harry would go from extremely touch aversive to extremely clingy within the span of minutes or hours, and then he would snap out of it abruptly. The ensuing breakdowns Harry endured in his fright at how he acted broke Takimaru’s heart.

Thankfully he was prepared to some degree to handle Harry’s needs, having gone through similar struggles at nearly the same age. Though he tried his best, Takimaru had been a needy, affectionate child in his bad times, and the occasions where Harry would become apathetic or aversive to contact left him floundering quietly until he fumbled through a routine that could draw Harry out of his night time fits a little easier.

He quickly noticed patterns in what calmed Harry faster or what pulled him out of his head, especially once he consulted with Satoumaru about coping mechanisms he could introduce until Harry was stable enough to start long term therapy. He responded well to Takimaru lowly murmuring about the placed he had visited in the Human World, and if he ever talked about Gourmet Cell users Harry nearly always surfaced within minutes, whether he was listless or hysterical.

In the daytime Harry liked to keep himself busy with the few classes he attended so far or the other tasks he was learning, recognizing that if his mind was occupied he was less likely to be set off by encountering a trigger unexpectedly. Takimaru soon learnt that distraction was one of the most effective methods to help his ward, and that along with the partle steady routine and stable, supportive environment he was likely to recover as well as Takimaru himself had.

About two weeks after his Gourmet ID reading and several days after receiving the card in the mail, Harry was progressing well with his few endeavours –he could enter a light meditative state on his own, had memorized his daily focus exercises, and had chosen pre-shot routine basics for his Personal Study Choice; it was a continuation of the theory classes, and Aimaru had explained to him that it would further help with his focus and mindfulness practice. He had even been entrusted with a Beginner’s Guide for pre-shots, and kept it securely in his backpack whenever he wasn’t reading it, just in case. The only things he was having trouble grasping were his mindfulness exercises (which was completely understandable and would likely take months for him to even begin to pick up), the techniques for grounding himself during a panic attack, and the rudimentary Gourmet Cell manipulation sessions that Aimaru had tried to coax him into. It would probably take Harry even longer to draw out his abilities than it would another child if he kept returning to live with his relatives, and inwardly Aimaru cursed Harry’s “guardians” every time those brief periods of Cell encouragement ended in tears or terror.

“Taki-niisan, what do you do for a job?” Harry asked, sitting on the stool in front of the sink so he could wash his face and brush his teeth before bed. “You –uh, you’ve been here with me all the time, so I was just wondering.”

“Technically I do not have a set job.” Takimaru hedged. He was standing by Harry’s hammock, making sure that the ropes at each corner were still holding steady after being in use for a few weeks, and grinned in amusement at the scandalized little gasp Harry let out. “The Knights are a subset of the Gourmet Religion, yes, but as well we are a humanitarian aid group and a coalition of Gourmet Hunters, so we receive certain benefits from the government due to those things. Sometimes I will capture an ingredient for a client, sometimes I will be hired by the IGO to accompany their employees for one reason or another. For the past few years I have been occupied by the situation in Nerg City and the Jiddal Kingdom.”

“What’s that?” Harry inquired between rinses.

“The Jiddal Kingdom is a very desolate country, controlled by the Underground Cooking World and the Gourmet Mafia ever since the King abandoned it near to six years ago. I am... friends with Match-san, the Don of the Gourmet Mafia, and as a favour to him I contacted the IGO and bade them to have myself as a liaison to try and get both Jiddal and Nerg City’s ecosystems back to their former health.” Takimaru busied himself with smoothing the comforters on the hammock for lack of anything else. “I am paid by the IGO as a liaison, and since Aimaru assigned to me the overseer of the entire effort I am supported through the Knights, also. I _have_ been easing off on my duties recently except for the phone calls, because I wish to be around as much as possible whilst you are getting used to it here.”

“...Oh.” Harry said quietly, setting his toothbrush down slowly. Then, “Will you work when I’m not here?”

“...Yes.” Takimaru said honestly. “Not for too long, of course, and I shall return as swiftly as I can when you do. But I did give my word that I would see this through and I shall not disappoint Match-san or Teppei-san by neglecting a promise. Are you alright with that?”

“...yeah, I am.” Harry answered after a minute of thought, turning around so he could look at Takimaru fully. “...promises are important, right? You’ve got to remember the promises you make, right?”

Takimaru regarded Harry a bit quizzically, wondering about the specificity of the questions, but he ultimately nodded in agreement. “Truly, you are right. You have said it exactly, Ha-kun... are you done over there?”

Harry hopped off of the stool and then swayed for a moment, gripping his bag tightly as he still hadn’t quite adjusted to the new weight throwing his balance off. “I’m all set!”

It was lucky that Harry was such a stationary sleeper, otherwise the trick they had devised to keep his bag with him (a string tied round his ankle that connected to the pack’s straps) would have disrupted his sleep more than doing any good. As it was, now tying the sturdy twine had become a part of their bedtime routine, as was Harry giving Takimaru a tight hug every time the Knight lifted him up into the hammock.

Perhaps, Takimaru hoped, one day it would feel strange to not do so every day.

Over the course of another few weeks, Harry finally started to settle properly –Takimaru woke up one day to his charge already meditating and waiting to head to the baths, the lethargy he’d battled up to now suddenly gone. That he hadn’t suffered a night terror should have been something of an indication –like a switch had been flipped –but less subtle was the way Harry’s voice rose in volume even when he was speaking normally, the slowly lessening stutters and stops in his speech, the way he had been asking increasing amounts of questions as if he’d never hesitated in his life.

Not to say he was a different child –even with the slightly louder, more confident way to him, his panic attacks still came, his triggers still affected him, he still cried easily, was still humble and bashful to a fault. But something had changed, something had made him think, even a little bit, that he was safe here... or maybe it was inexplicable, no reason to it beyond it just being the way he would progress.

Over a month after returning to Simple Diet Hill from the Craftsman’s Forest, Takimaru and Harry were walking back to their rooms from visiting Yukimaru and Bonnet when it happened. Harry stopped dead in his tracks and his hands flew up to grab at his stomach, face pale and panicked as he locked eyes with Takimaru. He opened his mouth to say something, but the light was already bleeding into his vision –from Takimaru’s perspective a yellow-green glow fully covered one of Harry’s eyes and quickly made its way towards the other. Takimaru took a step in his direction even as Harry flickered in and out of sight; but there wasn’t anything he could do before the seven year old blurred at the edges, flickered again, and then vanished from the courtyard entirely.


	11. There and Back

SPOILERS

Harry appeared still on his feet –the light bled away fast and left him to gasp for breath as he wobbled. The early morning was upon wherever he had landed, and as he regained control of his body he fell to his knees, gulping in as much air as he could handle with his throat trying to close up in terror. He spent a minute or two on the ground that way, ready to pass out and shivering, but in time he recovered enough to examine his surroundings and attempt to see just where exactly he was.

It wasn’t difficult to figure out; the lamppost had the street names jutting out of it about half way up the side, and he recognized them immediately as ones only a few blocks away from Privet Drive. Harry wanted to cry but managed to force it down, remembering clearly what Takimaru had told him and quickly moving out of the street so he could try and orient himself. The first thing he did was make sure that everything he was supposed to have with him he still did, and he felt the tightness in his chest ease slightly when he saw that nothing was out of place. Then he retreated further from the road, into a little grove of trees next to the wooden skeleton of a new house being built, and started to cry in earnest.

Harry cried for a long time, until the sun was well into the sky and he had to stop for fear of being heard by someone out on the street. He felt even worse than the last time he had been here –sluggish, sore and miserable –although thankfully the light hadn’t hurt him, which was practically the only thing he wasn’t upset about right now. He wondered what would happen to him when he saw his aunt and uncle again, and the very thought almost pushed him back into hysterics before he latched onto the memory of Aimaru telling him that he knew he could be brave.

Aimaru had told him he could be brave. Aimaru had said that delivering the letters was one of his responsibilities, and Aimaru expected him to take his responsibilities seriously. Harry wiped his eyes furiously though he couldn’t completely stop sniffling, and took his bag off of his back again, rummaging inside until he found what he needed. The letters were transferred to his pants pocket so he could get to them quickly, and he swallowed one of the pills that Amara had prescribed for this situation, grimacing at the taste. He stowed the bottle away again and then stood, throwing the backpack on with a determination he only half felt and nerves that only grew worse as he headed for number four.

It was still early enough that not many people were out, and by the absence of other kids in the parks and front yards he passed Harry had to guess that it was a weekday and everyone was getting ready for school. Nobody paid him much mind, which was a first, so Harry unfortunately made it back to number four in record time and was knocking on the front door before he could even talk himself out of it like he wanted to.

Aunt Petunia looked like she was about to pass out from surprise when she answered the door to find him there, but she didn’t do that in the end; her face turned blank and she glanced around quickly before seizing him by one of his arms and yanking him into the house, nearly slamming the door behind her. No one inquired about the noise from deeper inside, so she was probably the only one awake –it was a small comfort to Harry as she turned furious eyes on him and he shrunk instinctively.

“Explain yourself!” She demanded shrilly, and Harry-

-Harry stared at her. Just... stared.

He never realized how _unhealthy_ she looked. Stick thin, with too sharp cheekbones and hair like straw. Her skin was a few shades lighter than Harry’s own but it stretched over her hands like shrink wrap, and Harry was willing to bet that she probably weighed less than he did even soaking wet. He always sort of assumed his Uncle and Dudley were the unhealthy ones; but seeing his aunt like this after a month of eating well and living with fit and health conscious people and overhearing Oumaru talk about calories and nutrients and gaining fat-

Truthfully, it was jarring. More than that, it was a little sad.

“I –I couldn’t stop it, I’m sorry.” He said, and to his surprise it came out a lot steadier than it should have. He found himself thinking, _‘Is this feeble woman really who I’ve been scared of this whole time?’_ He lowered his gaze to her ankles –too thin, skin so opaque he could see her veins, how hadn’t she taken one wrong step and broken her leg? “Even Ai-ojiisan doesn’t know why it-it happened. I’m sorry Aunt Petunia.”

When he chanced a look up at her, his Aunt had an expression on her face like she’d just been slapped. “ _Who?”_ She eventually asked, and even as Harry went to answer alarm bells were sounding in his head. He had broken the biggest rule in the house – _never tell anyone._

“H-He-He was –he talked to me –after –after I disappeared the-the first time.” He said, shaky despite his valiant effort to the contrary. “I-I diiiiidn’t _tell._ I didn’t! He said –that he could-could help me with my G-Gourmet Cells and –here, he gave me a-a letter.”

His Aunt didn’t respond for a minute –her brow was pinched but she looked confused, like he said something she didn’t understand. He managed to pull the letters out of his pocket, and he hesitated, but he was brave, look at how he had spoken to her so far, he _would be brave,_ and so he thrust them out towards her boldly. His eyes were squeezed shut, and he hoped she wouldn’t thrown them away before seeing what Takimaru and Aimaru had written.

He felt her snatch them out of his hands, and he recoiled fast, hugging his arms to his chest and waiting for her to say something. He heard the sound of rustling paper, and there were several minutes of silence which followed that felt absolutely suffocating to Harry as he anticipated her reaction. He didn’t know what his –his new father or grandfather had written, and as the quiet stretched longer and longer he doubted that he ever would.

“Get in your cupboard and don’t come out until tomorrow morning.” Aunt Petunia said suddenly, and Harry looked up in shock and focused on the way she was nearly crushing the paper she was holding. “You are to go to school, stay out of our way, and stay _silent._ Do I make myself clear?”

Harry nodded so hard that his neck hurt, and he scurried for the safety of his cupboard as the sound of a frustrated, angry groan filled his ears. He pressed himself into the furthest corner from the door for a long time, until his aunt had vacated the front hall and he heard the door to the backyard open and shut with a clatter. Only then did he relax even the slightest amount –which of course, was just what his jittery body needed as a cue to send him into a deep, all-consuming sleep.

Vvv

Harry awoke to stomping on the stairs above him and a bright light shining through the cracks around his door, feeling like he had slept for weeks. He uncurled slowly from the corner he was hunched into, stretching as much as he could with such a small space, and changed his clothes quickly, just in case his aunt pulled the door open unexpectedly to wake him up. He checked his rickety old alarm clock and found that it was still early enough that Dudley probably hadn’t woken up yet, let alone come downstairs, and so it was better that he get moving now before his cousin had the chance to see him.

The kitchen fell quiet when he entered, his aunt and uncle seated at the table and very pointedly not looking up at him from their newspaper and magazine. Harry made himself as small as he could and shuffled over to the fridge to grab his typical breakfast; he had only just slid the egg and toast onto a plate when his uncle addressed him.

“The school is under the impression that you have been sick, boy.” Uncle Vernon said, all forced calm while his eyes burned holes into his paper. “Make sure it stays that way. Take the note on the counter to your teacher and get going.”

“Yes sir.” Harry whispered, and without sitting he wolfed down his breakfast in less than five minutes. He rinsed the dishes speedily and took the note, and he was only just hearing Dudley shuffle around upstairs when he opened the front door of the house to leave.

He was several blocks from Privet Drive when he deemed it alright to slow down, and further streets away when he relaxed and began to feel the odd sleepiness that clouded his brain near number four dissipate. He wondered if it really was just his Gourmet Cells pulling him into a downward spiral like Aimaru had proposed, because this street wasn’t anything special to Harry that it would make his mood lift to step down it. But right now speculating on his Cells wasn’t important –what he needed to do was get to the school, sequester himself away in one of the library’s study rooms, and go over how he would occupy himself until he was back in Simple Diet Hill.

He already knew that for now he would be leaving number four as soon as possible in the mornings, and would probably use the time he had until school started to meditate –he liked meditation the most out of all of his daily lessons because he could use it to relax himself _by himself_. His book on pre-shot basics was the next on his list, and while he had only read one chapter so far he wanted to have a grasp on the entire thing by the time he went back; he had seen the glimmer of approval in Aimaru’s expression when he had told him he wanted to learn more about it, as pre-shots were what _both_ Aimaru and Takimaru held masteries in _._

He could do his focus exercises whenever he had free time, so recess might be the best if he could find a spot where he would be left alone. That only left his mindfulness exercises which were _meant_ to be practiced all the time, and his techniques for grounding himself during an episode, which –well, he needed to have one in order to practice –and his Gourmet Cell lessons.

The Gourmet Cell lessons were both what he had the hardest time with (even with Aimaru’s diligent help) and what he desperately wanted to show Aimaru and Takimaru he could achieve. Whether or not his new family actually minded his lack of progess in that area, Gourmet Cells had been the means that led him to them in the first place –and even though he terrified himself sometimes at the thought of having to practice here and risk being _seen_ , he wanted to do it all the same. He wanted to be able to do it whenever he wanted, without breaking down into tears, without having to worry Aimaru sick, and most certainly without thinking even for a _second_ about his Aunt and Uncle _._

He made it to the library in record time, and after letting the librarian know where he would be he ensconced himself in one of the smaller study rooms and wrote everything down in his new planner, erasing the tentative schedule that Takimaru had been attempting to follow. This new one would be hard, Harry could tell even as a seven year old that he would have to be careful not to overwork himself or get sick. But he had already done one thing that he had initially thought impossible when he mustered the courage to give his Aunt the letters... and this mattered far more to him than anything she could say or do.

When Harry went to class, he presented his teacher with the note from the Dursleys and quietly preened under her worried fussing before he took his seat and did his best to pay attention to what she was teaching. He spent his brief recesses in the far corner of the school yard getting back into his focus exercises and his lunch period in the library reading the pre-shot book carefully. He took the long route back to number four so he could be sure that he didn’t run into his cousin, and ate his meagre dinner in record time before running back outside.

The following weeks passed by in much the same way, with Harry avoiding his relatives and the house they lived in as much as he could, only returning for sleep and meals –and even then he didn’t always get to eat if his Aunt and Uncle were in a bad mood, so in those cases he went to a soup kitchen or the langar. When he showed up more than thrice a week the others who frequented those places got worried about him and asked if there was anything wrong at home –Harry still wasn’t used to things like that happening, so while he felt guilty about it later he lied to all of them. He stuck to a story saying that his parents had died when he was little and he was living in a group home some ways away, and since things were tight he wanted to get some meals on his own. That didn’t exactly appease them, but it reduced the worry to such that he was only fussed over at Sri Guru Singh when he hung around for prayers after the meal; that was less an inconvenience and more of a treat.

He read and reread the pre-shot book until every line in it was practically burned into his brain, and while some of the concepts he still didn’t understand he was content with what he had accomplished so far. He knew that once he returned to the Lodgings he would be able to get all of his questions elaborated on, so he also dedicated a page of his planner to queries that he didn’t want to forget. Thankfully reading the book so much actually did push forward his progress in his focus exercises, and he felt that he might actually have a basic one worked out once he had everything explained properly.

His panic attacks lessened now, but only because he quickly learnt how to fall back into the groove of being back in number four. If he _did_ happen to get a night terror though, he had parsed out that it was most effective, if not the nicest feeling, to just cover his ears and shut his eyes and wait it out. He made very little progress on his mindfulness and Gourmet Cell practice in the first few days, but the forest clearing where he had first disappeared that he had chosen for his training spot was secluded and quiet, and so little by little he grew more comfortable going there each day for that purpose even if not much seemed to come of it. At the very least he didn’t feel as sad when he got back to Privet Drive anymore, and could even muster up happiness when he was away, if fleeting most of the time.

All of his hard work was worth it in the end though, when one warm day in late December he was sitting in the clearing and meditating peacefully. His mind was clear and his body was comfortable, and in this mindset he could almost _feel_ his cells relax out of their hyperactive state; his hands subconsciously moved into position and his mind sharpened, allowing for complete and total focus. Without breaking that focus (indeed, it strengthened as he went on) his hands made several different motions, mimicking what he had read in the book and what he had seen Takimaru and Aimaru do before, and after many long minutes they came to a stop.

His eyes opened, and he reached out in a trance to grab a pebble on the ground in front of him; once his skin came into contact with the stone he knew what he wanted to do, and within the blink of an eye the stone had changed form –into the crude, but recognizable shape of a ring made not of stone, but iron.

The shock of what he actually managed to do threw Harry out of the hyperfocus of his pre-shot routine, and while a similar feeling to nausea crept up his throat at the sight of the ring he didn’t freak out as he was prone to do. He let out a hysterical giggle and brought it closer to his face to inspect it, hardly able to believe that he had actually managed to use his cells on command, but he had seen it happen. He had done it... he had done it!

Harry was in a good mood for the rest of the day, and it didn’t drop off even when his aunt barred him from a dinner due to the fact they were hosting company. He stayed long enough to get a glimpse of a terribly out-of-place looking man in a rich purple suit walking up the driveway and then he scurried off all the way out to the langar. He ended up wearing the ring so he would always have it with him, and that night when he made it back to his cupboard rather early and the light bled into his eyes when there should have only been darkness –well, the tears that followed were certainly not ones of sadness.

Vvv

Again, Harry was in the same position as he had left –this time he appeared sitting next to a dumpster in an alleyway, brightly lit by the city that sprawled out all around him. The parts of the street he could see out of the closest end of the alley were bustling and noisy, even more so than the parts of London he had visited with his Aunt and Uncle. Harry pulled his padded coat out of his bag to combat the chill in the air, quickly checking that he still had everything inside his pack. When he was ready, he wiped his cheeks and stood, determined to find a policeman or similar and make his way back to Simple Diet Hill.

Harry stayed to the edges of the sidewalks so he didn’t get caught underfoot, a good decision as everywhere he looked there was something that amazed him. He wondered if every city in the Human World was like this, full of restaurants of every kind, neon blazing like it was high noon and so many different people walking around together without a care. Despite being an unaccompanied kid, Harry didn’t garner a second glance from anyone, most seeming to be too engrossed in their meals or destinations that they thought of little else.

Harry walked several blocks without coming across a police station, which struck him as a bit odd, but more frustrating; he wanted to find something as soon as possible so that he didn’t waste any time in getting back. But all of the stores and restaurants were so crowded that he didn’t feel like he could bother anyone for a phone, and he knew from his Aunt that most stores didn’t appreciate being asked to use their line if it was long distance, so he kept walking until he reached an area that was slightly less crowded than the rest.

Looking around, most of the places in this little plaza were bars, from small stalls to multi-story complexes. Harry skirted around the edges nervously, not wanting to be noticed by anyone who was drunk, and after a few minutes ended up in another alley so he could take a brief rest. He had only just sat down when a voice piped up from further in; it made him jump, and at the same time he whipped out the knife Takimaru had given him in case he needed to hunt –or defend himself.

Sat about a dozen feet into the alley, on the back step of a building that was made of logs and probably opened up onto the street at the other end was a very large, very muscular man with a cone shaped head and a burly moustache. He was smoking and calmly regarded the hunting knife Harry pointed at him, and they held a short staring contest before the man huffed in amusement and crushed out the cigarette.

“No need to take out a thing like that, you average level brat. I was only gonna warn you off stealing anything from around here, lest I call security.”

“I... I wouldn’t steal anything! I was just sittin’ for a mo’.” Harry slowly lowered the knife, feeling embarrassed that the man thought he looked like some sort of thief. “Do you know where there’s a phone box around, or a police station? I’ve been looking for ages and can’t find one.”

“And you’re not likely to. Where do you need to call? I’ve got a phone you can use.” The man stood up, and Harry was a little scared because even if the man wasn’t as tall as most people, he was nearly twice as broad, with hands that could probably snap Harry’s neck if he were so inclined. The man noticed his hesitation and huffed. “What’s your name, brat? I’m Moriji, I own this place, Bar Heavy Lodge. You can stay out here and I’ll get the cordless, but I’m not going to hurt you.”

“...I’m Harry. I need to call near Simple Diet Hill.” Harry admitted after a moment of deliberation, stowing away his knife and moving closer.

Moriji nodded once and then disappeared through the bar’s back door, leaving Harry to sit on the step while he waited. He thought he heard a commotion a few minutes before Moriji reappeared, but when the hulking man pushed the door open again there was no more noise than normal, so Harry thanked him and quickly dialled Takimaru’s personal number while Moriji lit another cigarette.

“Takimaru speaking.” Harry smiled.

“Sorry I was gone for so long, Taki-niisan.” A great sigh of relief came from Takimaru’s end almost immediately.

“I was so _worried_. Thank Acacia you are alright.” Harry heard murmuring in the background that sounded like someone was asking Takimaru a question. “Yes I _need_ to, it’s my son. Sorry, Ha-kun, now where is it you are? Mayhap you are close I can come for you myself or we may arrange something else...”

“I’m at a place called Bar Heavy Lodge, using their phone. The owner’s name is Moriji.” The man was still nearby, obviously listening in.

“Hm. You are a fair ways from where I am, but luckily you are close to home. Do you want me to send someone to get you or do you want to take the train out from the station?” Harry paused to think, but Moriji interrupted him.

“Let me talk to ‘em, brat.” The bar owner held out his hand expectantly, so Harry told Takimaru what was going on before relinquishing the phone.

“Who is this exactly? ...I remember you from that Century Soup debacle that went down. This is your kid? ...he’s fine, not a scratch on ‘im. No, no, I can put ‘im up for the night. If someone’ll be here tomorrow, it’s no problem... Yeah? Well you better stop in soon then, and bring Toriko with you why don’t you?” Moriji shook his head and handed the phone back to Harry.

“Ha-kun, were you privy to that? Moriji-san is to let you stay with him until someone arrives there tomorrow. Be good for me, okay?” Harry was loathe to let the other go so soon, but he had noticed the talking in the background on Takimaru’s end and was starting to get cold standing in the alley even with his jacket. He said goodbye even though he didn’t want to and within minutes was seated with Moriji behind the bar of his very rowdy establishment, handed a cloth and a bin full of dusty cups without pause.

“You can sit up ‘ere for now and clean those, but if you get tired tell me and I’ll set up the cot. You ever been in a bar before, kid?”

Vvv

It was eleven o’clock in the morning and while there had never been an exact time specified, Raimaru felt like he was running inexcusably late. Gourmet Town was already well into its Lunch Rush Hour and only getting busier, which was no help to him since he had to both make it all the way into the central zone of the city and navigate the unfamiliar streets on his own. He silently cursed Takimaru as he took the wrong street for the seventh time, the promise of a job trade looking less and less appealing by the minute.

Raimaru had agreed to fetch Takimaru’s wayward charge mostly because he was one of the few Knights who hadn’t already met the kid, with him on a job with the new trainees of the Heaven Team for the entirety of the boy’s stay. He was curious of course –he thought that Takimaru would be the type to settle down with his assignments and his scary sort-of partner and that would be the end of it –but since he’d been proven wrong he wanted to meet this kid himself. What better way to do that then spend eight hours with him on the train back to Simple Diet Hill?

But regardless of the incentive, it was a relief to come upon the nearly vacant Bar Heavy Lodge without running into trouble, chiefly because that nagging feeling in the back of his mind stopped the moment he saw it. The door was unlocked and as he entered he immediately heard the sound of a conversation further in, which died down as the bell rang and Raimaru stepped fully into the bar.

He had seen the owner Moriji before, and it wasn’t a surprise to see him writing in a ledger at one of the high stools at the bar, but the kid helping him with the task was the one he paid attention to. If he hadn’t already known who it was he was escorting, he wouldn’t have been able to tell –the kid looked absolutely _nothing_ like Takimaru, who at the very least could have been mistaken for Aimaru’s biological son by anyone who didn’t know their circumstances.

Harry was of average height and build for a seven year old, with spiky black hair kept out of his eyes with clips and the dark, dark skin of someone from Value or the Taro Peninsula. He had a rather noticeable scar in the middle of his forehead, sturdy glasses and clothes that had obviously been bought in Simple Diet Hill, and as soon as he caught sight of Raimaru coming over his happy expression somehow brightened even more. Moriji swiped the pen from Harry’s hands and gave his shoulder a heavy pat, so that by the time Raimaru had walked over Harry was already adjusting the straps of his pack and waiting expectantly.

“Hello, Harry, was it? Takimaru sent me to get you.” Harry smiled turned a bit shy but he didn’t cower under Raimaru’s scrutiny.

“Yes, that’s me! What’s your name?”

“I’m Raimaru, squirt, nice to meet’cha. Moriji-san, Takimaru wanted me to thank you, and to let you know he’ll be sure to stop by soon.” The burly man nodded shortly and reached down to pat Harry’s head a few times.

“Come back when you’re of age, brat. I’ll give you a birthday discount.”

“I’ll never drink alcohol, Moriji-san, but I shall at least visit!” It sounded like something Harry was used to saying, and Moriji let out an offended sound in response that by Harry’s laugh was obviously just teasing. “Thank you again for letting me stay.”

“No problem. Take care.” Moriji waved them off, and Raimaru was about to turn around to ask Harry about getting something to eat when a choked off yelp reached his ears. He looked down at his temporary charge and swore despite himself –the child was froze with a terrified look on his face, clutching his stomach, and as he and Moriji stared in disbelief he flickered once, twice, and then completely out of existence.

“Get me the phone!”

                Vvv

The next two months were the worst of Harry’s life.

They say that it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, but Harry couldn’t find it in himself to agree. Coming so close only to have the rug ripped out from under him so quickly, he thought that he would never feel so terrible as that. Waking up somehow back in his cupboard, crying to himself again –surely it couldn’t get any worse. Surely it would ease before his next visit to the Human World, and he would only have to bide his time and wait until then.

He was wrong, and Aunt Petunia seemed to be the cause of it.

Harry didn’t know _how_ , but he was sure that his aunt did something, he was _sure of it._ That first morning when he crawled out of his cupboard, miserable and exhausted, and she glanced over from the stove with the same expression she always got when a horrid bit of neighbourhood gossip turned out to be true –that was the tell. She never looked that way without a reason, never once in all his life had she made it seem like there was something she should keep to herself when it came to her opinion of him.

It started a week after his return, when one night he came back to the house after a day spent outside and the doors were locked; a note in the backyard told him that he missed curfew and she ‘wouldn’t be taking it any longer’. But it was January in Surrey, and Harry was forced to huddle for the night in the back shed, shivering and unable to sleep for fear that he might not wake up.

Then he stopped getting a lunch sent with him to school. Breakfast still went on, as did dinner, but the middle meal which he already missed on weekends just stopped completely one day.

Then if he did something worth punishing, his dinner was withheld –but they attached a lock to the outside of the cupboard and refused to let him leave as well. His light bulb fizzled out and he had to sneak downstairs on his own after three weeks so that he could fix it himself.

Dudley stopped bullying him completely, but that may only have been becauses his Aunt and Uncle were keeping them on completely different schedules, like the adults were attempting to ignore him out of existence. At school Dudley stayed away from him, too, glancing his way every so often in class like he wasn’t sure why he was, but still did nonetheless. The few times he saw his aunt, that smug expression haunted him and drove him to nightmares, wondering how she did it, _how could she have stopped him from going back?_

Two months passed that way, and he didn’t return to the Human World for even a single second.

Vvv

One day, Aunt Petunia sheared the hair from his head and tried to take away the ring he made with his Gourmet Cells, and something in Harry snapped.

Before he could register what happened, his aunt slammed bodily into the kitchen door with a great thud and slid to the floor, and his body began to vibrate with all of the anger he’d pent up inside for two months. She attempted to stand but failed, and when she opened her mouth to yell at him he grit his teeth and very nearly screamed at her to _be quiet,_ to _stop bothering me,_ to _stop treating me like this because_ -

His whole body jolted and then all he could feel was agony, all he could taste was the hot saliva that came before he threw up, his head felt like it had split in two. His Cells that Brunch said were already hyperactive, the ones he needed to calm down to near silence before he could use –they went _haywire_ and he couldn’t stop it, he could only gag as he began to vomit up the contents of his stomach. He couldn’t see it, but his aunt looked on in horror as he coughed out in pain and retched again –this time streaked red with blood from where he bit his tongue.

It hurt so much, but it was like the way the light used to hurt, and when it was bearable Harry finally looked up and saw what happened –the way a few droplets of blood had hit the floor, the dish washer, the kitchen table. He groaned in pain and somehow understood that his Gourmet Cells were draining him of what little energy he had left in order to be of use; a two foot section on the floor shifted into sand, the washer door turned to giant mushrooms and the table crumbled in on itself when the wood started to turn into water.

Harry didn’t realize he’d been crying until the pain in his body stopped; through the blur of his tears he saw that his aunt huddled into the far corner of the kitchen, scared out of her mind, and he couldn’t bring himself to feel bad at being the cause of it.

“L-Leave me... alone.” He said, his voice growing louder. “Leave me alone, leave me alone, _leave_ _me_ _alone_! Stop it! Just stop, stop, just leave... just leave me alone, please... Please, leave me _alone_...”

Harry retreated to his cupboard in terror, but his Aunt didn’t try to drag him out, even when Uncle Vernon came back from work and started yelling at the top of his lungs about the disaster in the kitchen. What felt like days passed before they finally went upstairs, and Harry heard a heated argument through the floor boards for a long time before they finally fell asleep.

By then Harry had run out of tears completely –it felt like if he cried, the last dredges of his energy would evaporate, and he only still existed because if he stopped existing then his Aunt would _win._ He ran out of his nutrition pills two weeks ago, hadn’t picked up any of his books in twice that long, and his scalp burned from the shearing his aunt put him through earlier.

His brain churned through his thoughts like it was wading through molasses, every breath he took dragged in his throat; in the darkness he thought it might be three in the morning but his clock stopped working two days ago and he couldn’t afford batteries to repair it. He lay down on his side and tried to fall asleep, but it was soon apparent that it wouldn’t come easily. In the quiet he almost made himself believe that Takimaru was leaning over him, smiling, ready to smooth his bangs away from his face and make him feel loved, but the illusion dispelled before he could grasp it.

Harry didn’t know if this was what it felt like to die, but he wished he could just get it over with already.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harry didn’t die.

No one was home when he woke up in the morning, so Harry took advantage of that and ate his fill of bread, eggs and milk. No one was home when he returned from school, so Harry took advantage of that and ate his fill of the leftovers his aunt had cooked the day before. No one came home until the following morning, and by then Harry decided that he wasn’t going to accept what meagre care he was given –he would _live_ and _spite_ his aunt and uncle by doing it. He was going to make it back to Takimaru and Aimaru and Simple Diet Hill even if it took his whole life, and if his aunt and uncle were so determined to stop him then they would have to deal with every single consequence they were due.

Vvv

If Harry was at number four at all in the months following his Gourmet Cell outburst, then it was simply to sleep or eat, and not for a moment longer than he needed to be.

The first month he spent all of his time at the library, devouring every relevant book he could get his hands on, taking advantage of the free supplies offered to children so that he could write everything down in notebooks, and probably worrying the librarians with how much time he spent there. If the library was closed then he migrated to the community centre and either reread the books he already owned or meditated to try and come to an understanding with his Cells –he didn’t want them to go haywire again if possible, and since there was no book to guide him it was the only way.

When he read all of the books he could at the library and the community centre staff began to suspect that he shouldn’t be there so often, Harry went to the gurdwara. As with his last stint in Privet Drive, he found that the farther away from number four he was, the better he felt –not only in his Cells, but his mind as well. The people at the langar had always been kind to him and when he started to show up again they kept on with that same hospitality. They gave him bigger portions, indulged in all of his questions about the Amrit and the prayers, and would tie a patka for him when he stayed for services –and sometimes he would even wear it back to number four with the express purpose of annoying his aunt, who disliked anything of that sort.

Their kindness often drove him to tears when in their presence –which alarmed many of the elders until they got him to explain that he was just happy, so, so happy to be able to enjoy their hospitality even though none of them really knew much about him.

He even thought –though he never voiced it –that if he hadn’t ever landed in Simple Diet Hill, he would’ve been happy with the volunteers at the gurdwara looking after him while he lived at number four. Even if they weren’t as close as family or only saw him as some orphaned kid to pity, they were always kind to him; when he _did_ return to the Human World he would be sad since he couldn’t see them.

Eventually, after so long attending and listening to prayers and puzzling over scriptures he couldn’t understand, he was offered a place in the classes the gurdwara hosted. He had time enough for three; to teach him Gurmukhi, improve on his Punjabi, and learn in depth about the prayers and the Amrit in ways the onlookers at the langar had never been able to adequately explain. He supplemented it by scouring the small collection of books they owned in English, and eventually he was occupied by so many different things that he barely had the time to do anything else.

It was a poor distraction from his loneliness, but regardless, it helped his heart.

And after another few weeks of this –so, approximately three months following his quick trip to Bar Heavy Lodge –Harry did in fact start to find himself in the Human World again. It was always far too briefly; an hour here, a few more there, and then he turned back up in Privet Drive for days on end, but it wasn’t without its benefits.

Harry met so many people during those brief flashes, and all of them helped him in small ways. He learnt to read his maps and compass within the first half a dozen stops he made; on a boat that searched for Madeleine Clams, with a caravan headed through Sand Garden, in a Gourmet Police station near the Gourmet Temple, at a Humble Udon stand just behind the Gourmet Casino. He learnt to _use_ his maps and compass within the next half a dozen trips; the Metallic Grasslands of Sieve Island, the ghost town of Rotting Bay, the two thousand acre Whale Horse pasture near to the Syrup Canyons.

Harry ate as much as he could when he had the chance, and in order to afford those meals he begged for small jobs at whatever establishment he found himself near –most were kind to wayward children, and those that weren’t Harry didn’t stick around very long anyway. He learnt to brew tea a perfect pot of tea when he landed in the middle of Madame Horada’s Tea Castle, he washed a single Chef’s knife nearly a thousand times in one night because it had to be perfectly clean for each new dish it touched, he employed the lessons that Monchy gave him on cooking rice and improved and expanded on that with each restaurant he fell into.

He managed to talk to Takimaru twice –once with too much static between them to really make out what the other was saying, and again, clearer, but they were cut off prematurely. Harry wrote down every place he went so that he wouldn’t forget about any of them, and each time he left he felt like crying but never ended up getting that far.

He found himself in a city one day that teemed with strange looking people and even stranger food, the buildings and smells all around him completely foreign. Passersby stared at him while he crouched on a park bench and tried to figure out where he landed with only his compass, until finally someone cleared their throat behind him to get his attention and he came face to face with a bipedal frog with a moustache.

“Ribbit? Ribbit ribbibbit ribbit, rib ribbet.” It said, and Harry simply stared until it occurred to him that he was being quite rude.

“Um, I’m sorry, I don’t understand you.” The toad... person jumped as if shocked and made a motion with its hand as if to say ‘I’m an idiot’.

“My apologies, young tadpole! It slips my mind that not everyone can speak Frogese!” The _frog_ person swept an imaginary hat off of its head and bowed. “I was speaking with an apprentice of mine earlier, when he detected a surge of Gourmet Cells and asked me to ribbit ribibbit rib?”

“Huh?” Harry couldn’t help but giggle when the frog person gasped in shock at its slip again.

“My goodness, how rude of me! I frog-ot to intoaduce myself, didn’t I?” The frog person stepped forward and extended a hand that Harry politely shook. “I am Mappy, a travel frog in service of the Daruma Hermit. And you might be?”

“I’m Harry, a ward of the Gourmet Knights.”

“Frog-tastic to meet you, Harry! As I was ribbiting earlier, I’ve been sent here to bring you to my former apprentice, Brunch of Mt. Tengu, if the name rings a bell?”

Harry could scarcely believe his luck. He confirmed right away that he had met Brunch and stressed the fact that he had no idea when he would phase out of the world again –so Mappy summoned his so called ‘Croakswagon’ immediately and assured him they would be in Brunch’s home in two shakes of a Kappa’s tail.

He saw Brunch waiting for them on the front porch of his home, so the minute the Croakswagon squealed to a halt Harry leapt out and basically tackled Brunch in a running hug. It had been so long since he had seen anyone he actually knew, and before he knew it he’d begun to cry into Brunch’s chef uniform, unable to care whether he’d be mad about it.

Brunch shuffled him and Mappy inside and didn’t try to pry Harry’s limbs off of him, and made tea with Harry clung to his shirt like a koala. By the time Harry calmed down enough to speak they were all sat down at a small table in the corner of a cozy, dim lit room, and Brunch handed him his tea gruffly but never brought up the fact that that Harry refused to move more than a foot away from him at a time.

“Hell of a way to say ‘hello’ there, kid.” Brunch finally said; Harry let out a little hiccup in response.

“S’rry.” He sniffled and willed himself to not start crying again. “I haven’t... I’ve –I’ve been all alone.”

Something in Brunch’s expression softened a bit. “Hey, I dinnit say it was a bad way.” He stretched his arm back and lifted a bag up that had been sitting next to the wall, and he held it out for Harry to take. “Open it before yer forced away again, n’ let me take ‘nother look at yer Cells.”

With one hand Harry started pulling out the contents of the gift and with the other he allowed Brunch to do what he wanted, shivering at the pull of electricity through his skin that turned the dark splotch on his arm completely black. Brunch sat back in a contemplative silence while Harry gasped at the little phone that he had found inside the bag, a cord and panel connected to it in his lap, and an envelope with a bit of money inside.

“It’s a solar powered satoadite phone.” Mappy supplied, pointing out a few components. “You won’t have to worry about charging or batteries as long as you get a few hours of sun, and it will reach anywhere in the Human World –perhaps even Nerg, which is famously a dead zone.”

“I got it when we found out you were ‘hoppin’’ ‘round too fast to catch. Use that money to refill y’r prescriptions if y’ need to, or buy a good meal.” Brunch said in explanation. “Happy birthday, when’ver it is.”

“Oh, oh, _thank you_ Brunch-san!” Harry just had to leap up and give Brunch another hug, in case his happiness made him phase away again right then and there. “Is –Is that why I can’t get a hold of Taki-niisan? Because he’s in Nerg?”

“Prob’ly.” Brunch grumbled, blushing purple of all colours. “Okay, no more thanks, put that away so we can go over the important shit.”

“Okay!” Harry rushed to pack the phone away, then sat at attention before Brunch with his notebook and pen ready and waiting.

“First off, next chance you get –call Takimaru. He’s runnin’ himself into the ground worryin’ an’ I _know_ that jus’ talkin’ to ya will help.” Harry nodded vigorously. “Next, your Cells –what the _hell_ happened to them?! Half a year ago they were half the size and twice as... _speedy_ and now they’re almost normal! They shouldn’t’ve fixed that fast and _not_ with how terr’ble yer diet is!”

“Um... I’ve been practicing?” Harry ventured, but Brunch glared something fierce and obviously didn’t buy it. “Uh, well, I _have_. Been practicing, that is. It’s the only thing I can do besides read. B-But, a few months ago something weird happened.”

“...and?” Brunch prompted when Harry didn’t continue.

“...” Harry held his hand out and picked at one of the healing scabs on his knuckles –with a noise like shifting fabric, the blood that welled up from the little wound slid down the side of his hand. He hastily grabbed the gift bag so that the blood wouldn’t hit the floor and concentrated as hard as he could. Within seconds the paper of the bag turned into wood –Harry quickly stuck his knuckle into his mouth to stem what little blood was still leaking out after his demonstration, breathing harshly and sweating like he’d run a marathon.

“It was ‘cause my Aunt Petunia... she was getting really bad. She kept taking and taking and everything just got _worse_ than it’s ever been before... and I got really stressed and I guess it made me throw up. But blood came out too ‘cause I bit my tongue... and that happened. I turned the dish washer into giant mushrooms, the table to water, the floor into sand.” Harry chanced a look up at Brunch and Mappy and was baffled when they just nodded in understanding, as if that explained everything.

“Gourmet Cells usually grow stronger with croakpatible ingredients, but they can also frogress if you are put into a state of extreme stress, or if you’re near death.” Mappy told him gravely. “Many Cell abilities are just as... outlandish? Toriko’s brother, Coco has a similar ability, where his Cells allowed him to absorb poison so much that his very bodily fluids are deadly.”

“Mm, or... eugh, or that one guy who’s body adapted to host bug Fauna... anyway, train that, it might come in handy... er, but only if you’ve got an open wound. _Don’t_ start injuring yourself.” Brunch said firmly, an order, and Harry agreed meekly. “A’ight, and I asked the old man, Komatsu asked all his buddies –there ain’t no place in the world called ‘Britain’ or ‘Europe’ that we can find. There’s some weird shit goin’ on with you, kid.”

“I... I kind of figured. There’re no books at home that mention _any_ of the landmarks or people famous in the Human World. Not Acacia-sama, or Toriko-san, or the Gourmet Temple or Simple Diet Hill. _None._ ”

No one could figure what to say to that, so after a while Brunch suggested that he make them something to eat –how about they try his Full Course Menu? Harry didn’t know what that was, but he agreed, and while Brunch prepared it he regaled Harry with what exactly a Full Course Menu was, how he decided on his, and interesting tidbits on each.

Human-Faced Mushroom Pickles, as tart and savoury as you could handle; Kappa Fossil Soup, served in the well of its fossilized skull; Starfish Orochi Giblets, minced and served raw as a tartare; Smoked Oni Troll, both juicy and incredibly meaty. Then Satan Cheek Meat Stew, served in the ugliest bowl Harry had ever seen; Hell Shop Meal Salad, colourful but a bit too pungent for Harry; Spotted Sea Cucumber Pudding, eaten more for the texture apparently; and then to accompany it all a drink called Tears of the Dores Clan which was... indescribable.

It was more than Harry usually got to eat, and he didn’t even have to work for it. Brunch cleaned up the kitchen after they all finished eating and Harry wanted to help, but Mappy began to tell him about Hex Food World and insisted on assisting him with plotting the coordinates onto his map. Harry felt proud when Mappy remarked, impressed, on the breadth of his travel in the Human World, and was sure to jot down the suggestions he made for places to visit if he ever got the hang of controlling this teleporting thing.

Harry had been in Hex Food World for several hours when Brunch moved out to sit on the porch and Mappy decided to run out to grab him a fresh supply of his prescriptions, leaving him the space he needed to finally call Takimaru. The phone was foreign but easy enough to figure out, and he only had to wait a minute for it to connect and a voice to slur through on the other end.

“T-Taki-niisan?” He asked tentatively, suddenly self conscious –had he called at a bad time, had he put the right number in, had he taken _too long_ to call?

“ _Harry_.” Takimaru breathed, and sounds of shifting blankets and quiet murmuring came through the line before he spoke again. “Where’re ye righ’ now? Are ye safe?”

“I am. I’m at Brunch-san’s home in Hex Food World.”

“Thank _Acacia_. I’ve missed you terribly, Ha-kun.”

Harry sniffed. “I miss you too. B-But Brunch-san gave me a satellite phone, so now I can call you even in Nerg City maybe! Is that where you are now? I didn’t wake you up, did I?”

“I _was_ at rest, but I surely would rather speak to you. I am staying with Match-san at the moment.” Regardless of saying that, Takimaru sounded exhausted. “I am so sorry that it has been difficulto to reach me as of late, there were several emergencies I was needed to help oversee a few weeks after you disappeared from Bar Heavy Lodge. I do hope you can forgive me.”

“I understand... you made a promise.” Harry said reluctantly, and he was worried that it might be saying too much, but... “But... am I bad for being a... a little bit mad that I couldn’t call you?”

Takimaru was quiet on the other end for a long minute, then he let out a low, measured sigh. “Nay, mind not that you feel this way. It is _normal_ , not bad in any such manner. Ha-kun, no one can be good or bad until after they have been fed. And you have been starved of attention and love for a long time.”


	12. Sincerity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're reading this update only, go back and reread the story, please! I edited and added more to it, so it's totally worth it -also there's more content in the chapter before this I never posted before!

SPOILERS

Two weeks passed in which Harry traveled so frequently that he barely had the time for a full night’s sleep before he was off again, for some reason staying on the Farada continent for all of the trips as opposed to the random destinations he was used to. Farada was smaller than a lot of the others, with barely half a dozen countries making up the whole of it and with few major cities, relying on farming and agriculture for its economy. When he landed back in Privet Drive after that stint, skin tanned even darker and freckles stark on his cheeks from working in the sun wherever he landed, he returned to number four only to find Mrs. Figg in the kitchen babysitting, and Dudley upstairs in his room in tears.

Sometimes, Harry’s first instinct when it came to his cousin was to avoid him at all costs and pretend right back at him that he didn’t exist. It was as much out of spite as it was self preservation –if his aunt and uncle wanted them apart, pushing it to try and be around Dudley wasn’t going to turn out well. That and half the time Dudley cried he was putting on a show, and the other half of the time it was over something stupid –there was no point in expending the energy to help when there usually wasn’t anything to be done.

But this time Harry had gone upstairs to use the loo and heard his cousin sniffling and crying through the door, sounding like he was trying to be quiet about it but failing miserably because he’d never had to before. And Dudley _had_ never tried to hide something like this before –so instead of his usual reaction of walking away and ignoring whatever drama was about to go down, Harry took the option presented to him for the first time since they were small kids.

“ _What?_ Wh-What’d’ _you_ want?” Dudley said as soon as Harry opened his door, scrubbing roughly at his eyes, his face red and splotchy. He sat atop his bed, back against the far wall and an old, ratty thing of a stuffed animal beside him, which he swiftly shoved under his pillow when he caught Harry looking.

“You were crying. What’s wrong?” Harry asked, and he stepped inside and closed the door behind him so Mrs. Figg downstairs wouldn’t accidentally overhear them.

“None of your business, go away!” Dudley was obviously trying to come across as scary or intimidating, but he was in such a sorry state that the same feeling from months ago washed over Harry again. A mix of pity and concern and the thought, ‘ _Is this who I’ve been afraid of?’_

“No, I don’t think I shall.” Harry retorted calmly, and took a seat at the very end of Dudley’s bed. He caught the pillow Dudley tried to hit him in the head with, set it down in his lap and folded his hands on top. When he looked his cousin over he tried to keep a non-judgemental look on his face. “Now, tell to me what’s wrong.”

Dudley hesitated, eyes wide like a Sea Deer in the path of a boat, and his shoulders scrunched up around his ears. “T’s not important.” He mumbled.

Harry scoffed. “Of course it is. You’re upset.”

Dudley frowned deeply and glared at his knees. “Why d’you even _care_?”

“Because...” Harry took a minute to really think about it. In most of the places he landed, he inevitably saw the bad side of people; a cook that chased him off, a kid his age addicted to narcotics, or when he got taken advantage of ‘cause he was a kid who needed to eat and was willing to do almost anything for it. He saw things like that in this house too, more than he ever told Takimaru, and far more than Dudley probably noticed.

But, he’d come to the conclusion that those we’re the things he would dwell on. There were horrible people in the world, and he might never forgive some of them, but if he ever let their actions make him into someone bitter or hard or cynical –then they _won._ Somewhere along the way, he decided he wasn’t just going to spite them by _living_ , but by living with everything they would rather force out of him. By being a good person despite their best efforts to the contrary, even if sometimes it was hard to remember why he wanted that.

“Because I choose to. There’s no big reason for it. Now, c’mon Dudley.” Harry waited expectantly as his cousin waffled some more and turned even redder, the flush spread to his ears. “L-Look, if you really don’t wish to tell me –you don’t have to. But I’d like to listen.”

“...Piers and Thorton don’t... want to play...” Dudley said slowly. “...They said I’m... I’m too fat n’ slow to be any fun.”

“Hm. Not a nice thing to hear, is it?” Harry asked, but not unkindly. With the way Dudley had acted in class lately –well, this wasn’t exactly unexpected. “How long’s this been going on for?”

“...little while...” Dudley mumbled. “...month ‘r two...”

“And you haven’t told your parents. Maybe because you know you’ve been just as bad.” _To me,_ was left unsaid, but by the way Dudley sniffed Harry was pretty sure he’d hit the mark. “You feel awful now, because you didn’t do anything to them, I assume, and no matter what you do they won’t _stop._ ”

Dudley sniffled wetly and some tears escaped his eyes –this time he didn’t bother with wiping them away. “I don’t like it.”

“It’s not fun.” Harry agreed, fiddling a bit with his shirt sleeve. This was the most he and Dudley had talked in _ages_. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry they said that stuff. It was mean.”

“You shouldn’t be sorry –I deserve it. I’m mean to everybody.” Dudley said. “I’ve been mean to you prac’lly forever.”

“Dudley, your Mum ‘n Da are way meaner to me.” Harry pointed out, scooting closer to the other boy. “And –and we’re still kids. You didn’t know any better. But now you do, right?” Harry waited until Dudley nodded, and then reached out and took one of his cousin’s hands –if things were going to change it was now or never. Dudley looked miserable and confused, and he froze when Harry grasped his hand tightly. “Now you know it feels terrible –lots of people don’t get that. Piers and Thorton prob’ly won’t for a long time. But _you_ know it. An’ you won’t be mean again, right?”

Dudley wiped his cheek with his free hand. “I won’t... but that’s not gonna stop it, is it? Nobody likes me ‘n I don’t have any friends, now.”

“ _I’ll_ be your friend!” Harry exclaimed, and just like that he decided he forgave Dudley. When his cousin apologized for bullying him, he would accept it, but for now this was the best chance he’d ever had, and the way Dudley started crying again let him know it was the right thing to say.

There were, of course, a few roadblocks to his proclamation –biggest of which was the fact that Petunia and Vernon still kept the two of them as separate as possible. From mealtimes to picking Dudley up after school to taking him out of the house on weekends, it afforded Harry little chance to make good on his word.

And then there was the fact that Harry was still disappearing back into the Human World. Soon after their heart-to-heart, Harry was walking back from Sri Guru Singh and he phased away from Wisteria Walk midstep –he landed on a half sunken tree trunk next to an absolutely enormous water system.

He hastily stepped back onto a thick tree root that wasn’t submerged, worried that if it was rotting inside it might break the longer he stood there. Amazingly, the water of the river was so clear that he could see straight down to the bottom –there were beautiful pure white fish swimming underneath him. Harry quickly figured out that this was not an ordinary forest, rather a sea of mangroves that went on for ages in every direction, three times as tall as the trees back in Surrey. Looking up, a sky clear but for the occasional bird, and far off in the distance rose a mountain range larger than anything Harry had ever seen before in his life.

To get a better view, he climbed up the tree until he found a few branches grown close together where he could sit and not worry about falling down. The mangrove forest was eerily quiet save for a loud rumbling with no discernible source –but at the least he knew that there probably weren’t any human settlements nearby.

Satisfied that, for the moment, he wasn’t likely to find himself on his map, Harry set up his solar panel in a small patch of light and called Takimaru.

He didn’t get him on the first try, which was a little unusual –the Knight kept his phone near him ever since Brunch had gifted Harry a way to get through. But on his second attempt he was successful; Takimaru answered immediately, sounding out of breath and just a touch strained.

“Oh, Ha-kun, I’m sorry.” He said, and Harry relaxed. It was hard to get over the feeling that he might bother his... guardian no matter how many times Takimaru assured him of the contrary. “I was –occupied there, for a moment. I shall endeavour to answer faster next time.”

“It’s okay... you’re not busy now?” Takimaru had never declined a call before now, but...

“No, I am –on leave, presently.” Takimaru said, sounding a little put out; Harry laughed at him, thinking it must have been either Aimaru or the mysterious Match’s doing. “Ah, yea, truly it is probably for the best. Sometimes I forget that work is not all to life.” Takimaru laughed along with him. “Where have you found yourself now?”

“Mm, I’m not sure.” It was hard to figure out where in the Human World he was on a _good_ day. “There’s a huuuuuge mountain over the way, some mangroves in _really_ clear water –I’m sitting in a tree right now. Oh, and some kinda weird rumbling noise.”

“That does not bring to mind any specific place... you are safe, though?”

“Yes. None of the fish or birds look dangerous... if there was a city or town close by I’d head that way, but I can’t really _tell._ ” Harry swung his legs over the side of his branch and stared out at the beautiful, peaceful scenery. “I talked to Dudley the other day.”

“...oh?” Takimaru sounded hesitant. “Tell me.”

Harry sniffed and let out a big whoosh of air, something in his chest tight. “It went good. Really, really good.” He let out a wet laugh and hiccupped a bit. “He –He said he wasn’t gonna be mean to –to _anyone_ now! And that we should be f-friends.”

“That is... wonderful, Ha-kun.” Takimaru said softly. “I think though, you do sound as if your heart is heavy about it.”

“I’m _scared_.” Harry confided in a rush. “What if it’s just a trick? What if when I go and f-find him one day Piers and Thorton are there and they _laugh_ at me for falling for the joke? What if he’s as bad as Aunt Petunia or Uncle Vernon? He didn’t apologize yet –I wanna –but –”

“I want him to mean it, I do! I _wanna_ be Dudley’s friend! But I’m scared that I’m wrong. What if he just –just turns back even though I’ve forgiven him?”

“Harry, it is no shame to be scared. You are taking upon you a risk, and so fright shall be involved, always, when you are not completely sure of people’s feelings.” Takimaru told him seriously, and Harry truly missed having a safe place to break down, sometimes. “But think on what your cousin said to you, how he said it, how he reacted. I do not believe your cousin would be able to fool you so easily –you are truly a smart boy, and you have seen him at his worst, time and time again. And if you think he is insincere, simply stop. You owe him nothing more than what you choose to give him. I wish you to do what is best for you, only.”

“What if I stop, and he gets mad and tells his Mum ‘n Da?”

“Then _run away._ ” Harry gave a scandalized gasp. “I know I’ve not heard tell of everything, Harry, I know this. But make no mistake, you’re _my_ son, and if I knew where those foul people lived I would’ve removed you from them _months_ prior. Every time they come to my mind I am _furious_ that there’s no way for me to keep you safe. So, if you _ever_ think you are ill done by in that house, _leave._ Leave and in good time you’ll be back to the Human World. Do you understand, Harry?”

“Y-Yes.” Harry said, and then, “I –I love you.”

“I do love you, too, Ha-kun. Hang in there –I like not the wait, but we shall see each other again before you know it.”

And of that, Harry was sure. He spent two days in the mangroves –longer than any of his trips had been in nearly six months –before he returned to Privet Drive. He ended up with a chance to see about his cousin the day after he came back, when he noticed the teacher held Dudley back one recess, and once he came outside there was a distinct ‘upset’ tint to his face.

“What happened?” He asked tentatively, approaching Dudley on the small hill that no one really played on when it was so hot out.

“I don’t gotta-” Dudley started, but then he froze and looked ashamed. “I’m sorry.” He said quietly, and then he looked around. “Ms. Bratten says my marks are real bad. She wants me to get a tutor.” He said glumly. “Says I’ll advance, but if it keeps on I’ll be held back next year.”

“What’re you bad in?”

“Math, Science. I’m alright for English ‘n PhysEd, Art ‘n Music, too. History’s so-so. But I’m last place in the first two.” His face scrunched up. “An’ in Computin’ an’ Geography I’m bottom five. She says she’s worried when I start Languages next year, too.”

In Harry’s mind, he was really conflicted about what he was considering. Outwardly he asked, “Want to study with me? I’ll not be your tutor, but I’m good in the ones you’re not –except History. An’ you can help me with English.”

“Y-You’d do that?” Dudley asked hopefully.

“Sure... but –but you should still see a tutor, too.” Harry wasn’t about to take on that sort of responsibility when he still didn’t know if Dudley would stick to his word. “Then you shall get twice the help, and you’ll learn twice as fast! Right?”

“...yeah.” Dudley looked marginally happier about the whole endeavour, so Harry counted it a victory.

And that’s what they did. Harry didn’t ask how he convinced them, but once school was out for the summer Dudley started meeting a boy from the local Secondary school at the library three times a week, where they would sequester themselves at one of the corner tables to go over his weak subjects. The other four days when Dudley was free –and if Harry wasn’t gone away on one of his trips –he would tell his parents that he was going to play at the park or some such, and then he and Harry would race off. Usually it was back to the library, since Dudley really did need all the help he could get, but occasionally Harry would convince him to just traipse through the surrounding suburbs with him, or they would sit in some park and do a bit of self study that didn’t involve books.

Harry didn’t let his guard down, per say, but every day that he and Dudley spent together with Piers and Thorton nowhere in sight, he let himself think that maybe, maybe this would all work out. Maybe his cousin really did want to be someone better, someone who wasn’t mean all the time and who wouldn’t turn on Harry the second he let his back show.

Maybe this would prove him right –that giving someone a chance and believing in their best wasn’t the wrong decision. He truly hoped so.

Dudley certainly had ample time to go back to his old ways if he was ever so inclined. By August, Harry’s stints in the Human World were as far between as they had been for the past few months, but their length was increasing, bit by bit.

From the two days he spent in the mangroves of that unknown mountain range, he next found himself on the outskirts of Cha Han Island, staying in a medical tent on the sands of Burning Hot Shrimbeach and helping to tend to ill fated Gourmet Hunters for three days. From there he landed in a place called Bar Meria for two and a half days, where the owner –a GT Robo named Meria –made him hide in the back room for his entire stay because of how dangerous and volatile most of her clientele were.

Then he landed in the Bonito Bush, grasslands made up of rock-like plants that tasted of seafood, and where he basically lived off of birds and water for four days straight. The next trip he took also lasted four days, during which he was staying in a tiny village on the back of the Islandhorse, a gigantic horse that walked the ocean so slowly that an entire land mass formed on its back.

And on it went, and yet every time he returned from his absences Dudley was still there, still acting sincere –if increasingly concerned over where it was he was going, since they hadn’t had that particular conversation just yet.


	13. Oh and Away

SPOILERS

Two days after he was dumped on the side of a road that passed through a forest in mid-autumn swing, Harry managed to convince a travelling group to let him ride with them until they reached the nearest town. A days travel led them to the northernmost tip of Wul Continent, where they stopped in the port town of Jusefruite –with its naturally occurring springs of juice in all colours of the rainbow, bottled by the locals and sent across the world, it was truly a mecca of fruit drinks of any kind and frequented by no small amount of tourists. In autumn it was a beautiful sight, but even in winter it was a popular destination for the way the springs froze and attracted skaters and Juice Fish ice fisherman.

Harry had managed to save up enough that he could actually afford a night in a hotel for once, and although the receptionist asked after his parents she gave him a key to the room all the same. With a buffet meal included, he sat and ate in the Dining Rooms and listened to some of the talk going on at the tables surrounding him for entertainment.

Most of it was about new recipes or Ingredient discoveries, the Chefs recently shifted in or out of the top one hundred –there was even a small group down the table from him heatedly discussing whether or not someone named Jiro was really ‘more than partners’ with Gourmet Living Legend Setsuno, whatever that meant. But after a little while it was the group sitting at the table behind him that really caught his interest, when they moved on from talking about the Juice Spring variations to the small conference going on a few blocks down the way.

“-used to do it a lot more often.” One of the men said gruffly, before taking a great sloshing gulp of his beer –Harry cringed at the sound. “But e’er since he nearly died a few years back ‘e’s been focusin’ on prevention.”

“Good for him, I say. I’d rather the man lived to keep on helping than die from overwork.” Another, younger man said, and set something down –a woman made a noise of agreement.

“Drink to that, he’s doin’ the stuff what’s not got a cure right now, too. Dinnit Meg say it was, eh, some sorta tumour this time?”

“Cancer of the brain. Gliobla-somethin’.” The first man supplied. “Team o’ doctors to open ‘em up, he eats it, ‘nother team to stitch ‘em together again. Been at it for a week.”

“I’m not sure I could do that.”                                                          

“I saw it once. Right bloody, too. His teeth pull the bad shit through the body, an’ then ‘e’s gotta chow down.” The woman said. “’Pparently it don’t work too well wi’the skull, ‘s why there’s gotta be surgery this time. But, there’s no relapse neither. N’wonder so many people take ‘im up... wonder how y’ figure that _out_.”

“Must have been as a kid, somehow. He’s been in the Knights since forever.”

Harry jolted up in seat; certainly they weren’t taking about _eating a brain tumour_ and the _Gourmet Knights_ in the same context? There _had_ to be some other explanation!

“Too true. Weird diet, but a good bunch’a blokes them lot.” The other two both agreed heartily, and Harry stood up with his meal tray, mentally calculating how long it would take him to reach the conference building from here. He’d seen it on the way in, it was pointed out casually by the driver while they headed to the market area –he didn’t think it would take him too long.

“Excuse me, um, Reception-san?” Sometimes not having an equivalent to Sir or Ma’am made him feel unspeakably ridiculous, but the woman behind the desk only smiled and asked how she could help. “That conference over there, it’s a Gourmet Knight helping sick people, truly?”

“Yes, this time it’s Cancer of the brain.”

“Do you know how long it’s going on for?” The woman paused, and then looked him over with new, sad eyes; he hastened to explain otherwise. “N-Nay, I’m not sick! I just know a few Knights through my F-Father, I wanted to go and see who it was!”

“...as long as it takes, to a certain point.” She answered after a minute, flipping through a few papers. “But I spoke to one of the nurses this morning, and she told me there’s not more than a day’s worth of people left. You should go tomorrow at the latest.”

“Oh, okay! Thank you so much!” Harry bowed and then scurried out the front door, the clock on the wall telling him in was near to seven in the evening and his internal timer chiming in to say he probably only had a day or two left in the Human World at the very most.

The conference hall was a long, low building constructed from wood, with a lovely Juice Concentrate Flower garden taking up most of the front lawn. Beyond a security guard and one family milling about off to the side there weren’t many people around –but as he approached the front door he saw a sign that read CLINIC: OPEN in big blue letters hanging off the handle.

Going inside was something of a frightening sight. Gurneys lined the open foyer, filled with people of all different sorts laying there in hospital garb, some portion of their skulls shaved down to the skin. A few nurses walked through the makeshift ward to check on sleeping patients or quietly talk with any who were awake. Around each bed sat however many family members had come with that person –some asleep, some talking amongst themselves, and yet more eating or helping their recovering relative eat.

An old woman –probably the supervising doctor judging by her while coat and scrubs –noticed him standing by the doors and came up to him. “Hello, young man. Can I help you with anything?”

He nodded. “I got separated from my-my Dad, he’s a Gourmet Knight. I heard a Knight was here helping to treat people?”

She looked him up and down with her better eye and Harry straightened under her scrutiny until she apparently saw something she agreed with, and nodded as well. “Ah, yes. He’s in the middle of treatment right now, but Aimaru-sama should be finished within the hour.” Harry’s mouth fell open in surprise at his good fortune, and she chuckled and led him over to a few open chairs and desks that had been shoved into the corner. “Why don’t you wait here and June can let him know once he’s finished, hm?”

“O-Okay! Thank you very much.” Harry bowed deeply in gratitude and she patted him on the shoulder. “My name is Harry, it is nice to meet you, Doctor-san.”

“What a polite young man. I’m Sorrel. If you need anything, just say.”

And Harry didn’t mean to, but after roughing it in the woods for two days, travelling for 24 hours after that, and a good, filling meal at the inn just before rushing over here –well, he dozed off. The quiet of the makeshift hospital wing was a lull to his frazzled mind, so by the time the expected hour had come and gone he was slumped in his seat and drifted in and out of dreams with each passing minute.

He snapped to awareness when a hand gently shook his shoulder, and the elderly doctor let him know that Aimaru was just cleaning up in the back. For the five minutes it took him to arrive Harry was a bundle of nerves, bouncing a little in his chair until he caught himself and managed to calm himself down briefly. Once he heard something of a commotion –a sudden uptick in noise from around the corner –he stood up in anticipation and was already moving when his grandfather came into view.

“ _Ha-chan_.” Aimaru breathed, instantly down on one knee to accept the hug that Harry flung around his shoulders. “By Acacia, how in the Human World did you find me?”

“Coincidence.” Harry mumbled. He didn’t even react when Aimaru stood up with him in his arms, just tightened his hold and stuck his face into the fabric near Aimaru’s collarbone.

“I do thank you for watching over him, Sorrel-sensei.” Aimaru said to the doctor; Harry pried away enough to thank her again as well before he went back to it, thinking she probably wouldn’t mind. Harry heard her wish them well, talk to Aimaru a minute or two longer, and then they were out the door. “Ha-chan, where are you staying tonight? I have a room at a hostel down yonder.” Aimaru pointed towards the harbour.

“I... already got a night at Judith’s Inn.” He answered, a little mad now –that had been half the money he managed to save! He felt more than heard Aimaru hum contemplatively and then turn in the direction of Judith’s.

“I’m sure we can work something out with the proprietor.”

They did –as soon as Aimaru explained that he was Harry’s grandfather, the owner added him to the guestlist and even called the hostel to explain the situation. Harry’s evasiveness from the beginning over his parents wasn’t even brought up; when the receptionist heard what was going on, she laughed and said that Aimaru looked way too young to be a grandfather. Aimaru had grinned and replied that he was ‘older than The Glutton’, which made the lady say she wouldn’t have ever guessed while Harry just wondered how old Aimaru actually _was_.

“Ai-ojiisan, what were people talking about when they said you... _ate_ tumours?” Harry asked when they were climbing the stairs to their floor. “That’s...”

“Oh, oh Acacia, no one has told you.” Aimaru seemed to find that funny, or maybe strange. “Ha-chan, _I_ have Gourmet Cells. That’s why I’m teaching you.”

“You _do_?! What do they do?” Harry demanded, scrambling to keep up.

“I can eat sickness, and cure the person.” He replied simply, fishing the key to the room out of his pocket. “My teeth draw the illness to one point of the body when I break the skin, and a tumour quickly develops where the wound is. If I eat that, and some of the surrounding flesh, the disease goes away.” Harry expressed his awe, and Aimaru ruffled his hair. “Mayhaps you could do something similar, Ha-chan, once you get the hang of it.”

“Oh, oh, Ai-ojiisan, I have!” Harry hopped into the room and showed Aimaru his ring once they were settled a bit. “I did a pre-shot routine, and turned a rock into this! And Brunch-san must’ve told you about my blood.”

“ _Blood_?” Aimaru’s previously impressed expression shifted to concern.

“Uh, I b-bit my tongue when I was upset... and turned parts of the kitchen at number four into other stuff? It took a lot out of me though... and I don’t wanna hurt myself to try it again.” Harry hedged, suddenly aware that this wasn’t exactly the best topic to get into. “But I can do it, it’s not easy, but I did it!”

Aimaru relaxed. “That’s wonderful, Ha-chan. You shall have to show me your pre-shot routine sometime. For you to be able to use your Cells at your age, it just goes to show how hard you worked at it.”

They talked a bit more, Aimaru answering some of the questions Harry had written down in his notebook that Takimaru didn’t know about and giving him pointers on a few other things; they caught up on where Harry had traveled and what Aimaru was doing in Wul Continent, how the other Knights were doing and how big Bonnet had grown.

A little later, Aimaru jokingly told Harry to keep it a secret from Takimaru and turned on the little television instead of going to bed, and they tuned into a show called ‘Gourmet Partner!’. In it, Chefs competed to win the attention of a Hunter looking for a Combo Partner, and then a different group of Hunters did the same for a Chef. Aimaru said that he didn’t watch often, only when he was in a place with a TV, and Harry tried to watch with him but kept getting distracted by the fact that he had _no_ idea what Combo Partners were. He regretted not reading that particular book when he had the chance.

“It’s a relationship between a Gourmet Hunter and a Chef. The Hunter provides quality Ingredients, and the Chef prepares them to their full potential.” Aimaru explained once Harry voiced his confusion, the program pushed to the side. “It’s a respected institution in this age. Gourmet God Acacia’s partner was Chef Goddess Froese –ever since them, a Combo Partner has been seen as one of the most important people you can have in your life. Hunters often receive a lot of attention –the job is exciting, full of discoveries –but no matter how great of a Full Course Menu a Hunter assembles, it’s worthless without someone to prepare it.”

“Is it... like, getting married?” Harry asked, looking back at the TV where it was showing a scene of a Hunter asking a Chef to partner with her, both of them crying the whole while. It certainly looked like a proposal to him, like the wedding programs Aunt Petunia liked to watch.

“Sometimes. It certainly has similar benefits when registered properly.” Aimaru said. “A lot of emotion and weight is put into the decision to ask, the decision to commit, but it’s usually a professional relationship, and most Combo Partners, while very close, keep it such way. But some do cross over into love... my friend, Toriko, for example.”

“Really?” Harry had heard a few stories of ‘The Glutton’ by now, both from the Knights and otherwise, though he hadn’t yet been able to meet the man like he was originally supposed to. “That would be, uh, Komatsu-san, right? Taki-niisan’s friend?”

“Well struck. Even I was surprised when I found out... in our younger days, Toriko wasn’t the sort of person I could see in a Partnership. But Komatsu-san is obviously –special. He did grow up after he met Komatsu-san, I do think.” Aimaru laughed. “Ah, but he’s still immature when it comes to food. I hope you can meet him, Ha-chan, I think you two will get along.”

“Do you or Taki-niisan have Partners, Ai-ojiisan? You’re... _kind of_ Gourmet Hunters, right?”

“I never have. My duty to the Knights always interested me more than searching for Ingredients like Toriko does, and Taki doesn’t either. That’s not to say we couldn’t, but we are not good examples. Yukimaru did, at one point.” Aimaru quirked an amused grin. “Any reason for the interest, Ha-chan?”

Harry blushed, and busied himself with tying his pack rope to his ankle so he wouldn’t have to look at his grandfather. “It just sounds nice. Someone always there to travel with, who needs you to bring them stuff, who _wants_ to cook for you. That would be... nice.”

He let Aimaru pull him into another hug, and eventually fell asleep like that.

Harry spent a lot of the next day helping Dr. Sorrel around the ward; refilling water pitchers, cleaning up messes, playing with small children in the daycare. He got to watch one surgery –the last one, in fact. Despite the fact it was fascinating, he also got a little queasy watching his grandfather bite into an actual _brain_ , blood and tumour and grey matter and all –nevermind the fact that Aimaru seemed completely unperturbed by the process. He wondered if he _could_ do something like that, change unhealthy cells into healthy ones somehow.

His own Cells were particularly unkind that day, for he phased out again while Aimaru was cleaning up.

He popped up in Magnolia Park, practically on top of the fence he’d jumped so long ago, and was already sobbing before the light left him. Beyond making sure that no one was around, Harry didn’t pay attention to anything except feeling sorry for himself for the moment, sitting down in the weeds and hugging his knees to his chest.

Inexplicably, Dudley found him there.

“Harry? Oh no, w-what’s wrong?” Dudley asked, completely out of his depth at encountering in such a state. Harry cried harder and Dudley plopped down on his knees next to him, close but not reaching out, hesitating because he had no idea what to _do._ “Can I do something? Can I help? Harry?”

“...why do I have to keep coming _back_?” Harry choked out, pressing his palms into his eyes. “I hate it here! Why can’t I just –just stay with them, why do I always come back here?!” He trailed off with a fresh wave of tears. “I-I m-mi-miss the-em so-so much.”

Dudley scooted closer, and slowly, stiffly, took one of Harry’s hands in an echo of what Harry had done for him back at number four. Harry dimly registered that his cousin might not have ever comforted anyone before.

“First time I –I disappeared, I met Takimaru. He’s so, so nice, he treated me like –like I was his kid, even though we just met.” Harry confessed, gripping his cousin’s hand tightly. “He said, he said he wanted me to live with him, and then he acted just like –like a Dad’s supposed to –but I keep coming back here and I miss him so _much_ , I miss him, Dudley. I miss _everything_ over there!”

“I’m sorry.” Dudley said, and he did something that he would’ve never done a year ago. He turned and pulled Harry into a hug, maybe a little too hard, maybe a little awkward and in a weird position because of how they were sitting, but it made Harry sob harder. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I don’t know what to do, I’m sorry...”

Vvv

Later on that night Harry dug through his pack and found a little pouch that hadn’t been there before –with the money he’d spent on the hotel room inside, plus a piece of Jusefruite’s specialty Juice infused chocolate.

Vvv

The anniversary of Harry’s first trip into the Human World wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. He was stuck in Privet Drive for it, and it was a school day, but Dudley was beside himself with glee from getting a 70 percent on his Science test that week, and he had finally received permission to enrol in the gatka class at Sri Guru Singh. He knew Takimaru wanted him to go into a martial art, but he didn’t have the money to attend something like that right now, and learning semi-ceremonial sword fighting was about as close as he could get. And it was also the first time Dudley agreed to come with him to the gurdwara, to stay for prayers and the general class after the langar –and so he felt awful, but the one year mark since landing in Simple Diet Hill passed peacefully, easily, and he was grateful for it.

His stints in the Human World continued to grow longer with each visit. In a recent one, Harry fell into a place called Gourmet Fortune for a full week –he used the time to get himself checked out by a doctor and do a bit of work for some of the fortune tellers. Mugan-sensei even knew a little bit about Gourmet Cells, and managed to figure out that not only was he well on his way to where his health should’ve been for any other eight year old, but he would probably be in better shape than his peers once puberty hit because of how Gourmet Cells swooped in to cover weaknesses and the like.

Just after the anniversary, he made it back to Simple Diet Hill in time to spend three days splitting his time between Yukimaru, Bonnet, and Oumaru. He met her wife Sayaka and their new baby Tado, and Oumaru’s Combo Partner Tanner. Aimaru was doing Toriko a favour halfway round the world and Takimaru returned home a week after Harry left, and no one was very happy with it.

Into November, Harry’s Cells took him around the Ma-Chilian Continent, where he got involved for a week and a half with a gaggle of punk teenagers that reminded him of Dudley’s old gang, but a lot friendlier. They let him sleep in their hangout –an old boat warehouse –and the leader, Colinn, brought him to his mother a time or two and made him eat whatever she cooked for him, fussing like a nanny about his weight. The teens seemed to like him, taught him how to throw a punch and properly break someone’s nose, how to jab someone in the eyes with his thumbs or crush a whole foot with his heel. Colinn even showed him a cool move for if Harry ever got approached by someone bigger –duck down, shove the top of his head into the assailant’s chin, knee in the crotch, elbow into the back and then another knee into their nose.

Harry would get embarrassed about it later –but Colinn let him follow him around like a puppy, answered all his questions, fed him, showed him how to do small mechanical fixes on motorcycles, had a whole bunch of friends who were punks and delinquents just like Colinn but they were all nice and friendly and not at all like what Aunt Petunia thought people who looked like them were. They tussled with each other, rode around and made noise like hooligans and once Harry had seen Colinn get into a knock down, bloody brawl with some rival of his. Even after years Harry would remember the way the two older boys laughed together afterwards, no hard feelings despite their differences and their respective injuries. So Harry would get embarrassed about it later, to admit it –but at that age Harry hadn’t really seen a difference between Combo Partners and Marriage despite what Aimaru had told him and-

Kids sometimes said stuff about growing up to be somebody’s Spouse or Combo Partner –and all of Colinn’s friends may have teased them for it but they all thought it was _adorable_ –and it wasn’t until later that Harry knew that out of the two, he _really_ hadn’t been talking about Combo Partners.

And all that came in handy when he phased back to Surrey in late November. He was there for a about a week when he found himself waiting an unusually long time for Dudley to get out of an after school meeting with their teacher –about how much his grades were improving! –so he decided to go investigate at the back entrance, something telling him it was the right place to go. He came upon Dudley, Piers and Thorton, and his stomach dropped out.

Then he saw that Dudley was crying and the other two boys were laughing, and Harry thought about what Colinn had taught him and jumped in.

Vvv

Harry kicked at the tree in frustration, his hand smarting something fierce –and a vicious, smug feeling blooming in his chest at how Piers and Thorton had scrambled away crying, one with a bloody nose and the other a broken finger. How Dudley had looked at him in complete awe, sprung forward and hugged him, and then drew back embarrassed –and Harry had phased out of the schoolyard and into this awful maze of a weird, disappearing forest.

He had been wandering around for an hour already, and he could swear that he had seen this same tree at _least_ three times in the last ten minutes –when he could see trees at _all._ Parts of the landscape kept disappearing and reappearing, or turning invisible, or whatever it was, and Harry had tried climbing a tree early on to ascertain where he could be, but the sea of forest stretched on to the horizon with no end in sight. Certainly no human settlements that he noticed, although he wouldn’t be surprised if any towns nearby were just as prone to the invisibility trick as the trees were.

His compass was no help; the few times he pulled it out the needle spun endlessly around, never stopping for even a split second. He tried calling Takimaru with his satellite phone but there was nothing but static, not even a dial tone or a busy signal. He knew the basics of how to flare his presence from one of the books Yukimaru had given him during his brief stay at Simple Diet Hill, but he also knew that sometimes it was more dangerous to announce your whereabouts than to simply stay under the radar.

Harry moved quickly and quietly through the forest despite his increasing frustration, taking care to not get too tired out as he had no idea how long he would be stuck in this place; by now it would probably be anywhere from a week to three, and with how few Fauna he came across over the next six hours of travel it was a daunting prospect. Many of the other places he landed in either contained some sort of low level Ingredients that he could reasonably obtain on his own, or they had a town or city close by where he didn’t need to forage by himself. He didn’t often find himself in places that were devoid of life or civilization as completely as this eerie forest appeared to be, and Harry soon felt unsettled, nerves and worries creeping into his brain.

It was dusk when he finally stopped; he scoped the immediate area out as best he could and made a tiny fire well away from trees or brush, and set his Swag up on the ground so he could get up easier in a potential emergency. The Gourmet Case he carried on him still had a bit of food inside from the langar, but he put it off, wanting it to last until he really needed it. Instead he drank a bit of water and swallowed the daily pills Mugan-sensei had suggested he keep up with after discussing it in a conference call with Amara-sensei back in Gourmet Fortune. When he felt safe enough to sleep –there had been no calls of Fauna even as the night came down completely –he threw dirt onto the fire to be sure it was out and then crawled into his Swag, and promptly passed out.

Harry awoke just before dawn and forced himself to pack up his camp swiftly when he heard a strange shriek somewhere off in the distance. Heart pounding, he took off in the opposite direction and tried his best to not allow the flickering trees to distract him or turn him around, and when he came up to the base of a small mountain rather unexpectedly –could _mountains_ turn invisible here? –he decided to go around it rather than climb over. It took him the better part of the morning to get to where he thought might be the halfway mark, and by then he was breathing hard and sweating. The adrenaline from the dawn had run out some time ago.

At the approximation of noon, Harry decided to venture back into the forest proper to try and scrounge up something to eat. He thought he recognized a few of the small lizards lazily making their way through tree branches like sloths, and with that in mind he managed to catch a few and grill them whole –he had to wait a few hours so he could do a simpler version of the edibility test, but by dinnertime he was eating. They didn’t taste all that great, and he made a mental note to refill his salt and pepper at the very earliest convenience, but the tiny creatures at least filled his stomach and for that he was thankful.

Suddenly there was an uptick in noise in the distance –almost like there was a great crowd of people going about their day, the simple sound of talking reverberating in the previously silent forest until it abruptly cut off again. But Harry had heard it and knew the general direction from that, and so instead of setting up to go to sleep he started off towards where he guessed it was.

When dusk came around he felt exhausted and frustrated still –he hadn’t heard the noise again, and he began to wonder whether he had only imagined it or if the disappearing forest was tricking him into getting turned around again. He didn’t want to stop so he kept going, pulling out a little flashlight when it became too dark to see and in his desperation beginning to flare his presence to try and attract the attention of _anyone_. A wild forest was dangerous at night, but he couldn’t hear any Fauna nearby and so he thought the risk was worth it, even if it drained his energy even more with each flare he sent out.

Harry realized once the sun started to crest the horizon that he had traveled all night, blind despite his flashlight and no closer to wherever it was he had been trying to reach than he was last night. So he stopped and tried once again to call someone or use his compass, and when neither worked he threw the phone across the clearing in his frustration. And then he immediately felt bad for treating a gift like that, and so he got up to retrieve it and walked right into the path of a Tearor Moran Bird.

It let out that shriek which had spooked him the day before, and Harry bolted almost before his mind could catch up to his feet. He heard the Fauna tear after him and he had never been so scared in his life, his blood pounding in his ears and the exhaustion from so much aimless wandering the past few days trying to pull him down. This was so much worse than running away from a pack of shouting seven year olds, and he cried out in fear as he tripped over a knot in the ground and nearly fell, saved only by the grace of his balance and momentum.

(Harry didn’t know it, but despite the danger, the Tearor Moran Bird might have been the best thing to encounter in this forest. It was only about as fast as the average human, and tenacity wasn’t exactly one of its strong suits.)

(Single mindedness, though...)

Harry shrieked as a tree suddenly appeared in front of him and he lost time to swerve around it, his pursuer crashing into it like it was nothing and letting out an ear splitting screech as it zeroed back in on Harry. Harry tumbled down a hill in his haste and instinctively tucked himself into a ball to avoid getting too hurt, though his glasses still managed to cut the bridge of his nose wide open when they were torn off in the midst of his escape. He scrambled up when he rolled to a stop, willing his Cells to not leap into action for fear he would die when they drained him of what little vitality he had left –and the Tearor Moran Bird was practically on top of him.

Blood in his mouth, Harry backed away as fast as he could and cried out in pain when the Fauna’s razor sharp wings –feathers more similar to claws than anything –sliced messily through his upper arm. The bird swiped again and emulated its name by tearing a great swatch of skin from his cheek down to his collarbone, gouging out a good bit of him at the same time. Delirious and reduced down to his baser instincts from the pain and terror, Harry lost his tenuous control over his Cells and felt his last bits of strength get sapped away as his blood soaked arms came up and pushed at the Fauna’s descending beak.

With a noise like rustling fabric, the Tearor Moran Bird’s teeth scraped off the skin on one of Harry’s hands and simultaneously crumbled into clay, the Fauna pulling away and shrieking as bit by bit it turned from creature to thick, inanimate dirt that flung in every direction, even hitting Harry in the face before the Fauna stopped moving altogether. Harry stared in horror at the pile of clay that had once been –that he had –that –

He flipped over with a gasp, sweating buckets and bleeding heavily –his vision was fuzzy without his glasses, his legs felt like lead and his one arm could barely support any of his weight with how it hung limp and numb at his side. He grasped at a tree root he could just make out in front of him and used his arm to pull him forward, and his knees to push, well aware that he was getting sand and rocks in his wounds and bleeding all over the place which might attract more Fauna to him.

Harry kept pulling himself forward inch by inch, heaving great, pained breaths and praying to Waheguru, to Acacia, to Froese, that this wouldn’t be where he died. He didn’t want to die, he didn’t want Takimaru to have to go on and never know what happened to him, didn’t want Aimaru to draw the right conclusion if he never came back, didn’t want Dudley to be alone. He wanted to see Monchy-ji again, and Oumaru-san, and meet Match-san and Toriko-san and watch Tado grow up and raise Bonnet and see Colinn again someday –he wanted to take the Amrit, go to the gurdwara again, join the Gourmet Knights when he was older, wanted to get married, get a Combo Partner, have a Full Course Menu, eat with his family-

Harry didn’t want to die, he didn’t want to die, he just wanted to go home, just wanted to go back, just –just...

“By _Acacia_!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha don't worry everything's going to be fiiiine...


	14. Food Honour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ya'll i couldnt just leave you with that kinda cliff hanger

SPOILERS

Shu silently observed the newest student of the Chowlin temple as he meditated before three Torch Horsetails in silence, as he had for the last two hours. Not for the first time he found himself impressed at how far the boy had come in the two months he had stayed with them, especially when he remembered how the child acted at the beginning.

_“Wh-errr am I? Who’rre you?” The voice slurred from the futon –the one room that the Temple wouldn’t attack was the nurses ward, where Shu had brought the boy he’d come across in the forest. The child tried to push himself up but fell back with a pained shout, clutching at the places where he was bandaged and stitched up._

_“I am Shu, an Instructor at the Chowlin Temple.” He said, noticing there was no recognition to what he was saying. Interesting. “I felt you flaring your presence in the Lost Forest, and found you close to death.”_

_The boy blinked up at him like he wasn’t even listening, uninjured hand opening and closing over and over. “Oh.” He said quietly, like Shu had merely commented on the weather. “So I’m alive.”_

_“Just barely.” Shu confirmed. “We will help you recover, here, but if you step out of the nurse’s ward you will have to become a student of Food Honour. It is the only way to survive the Temple’s attacks.” The child nodded slightly. “You will be safe here, of course. Mashan-san will be handling your Physical Therapy once your injuries have healed enough to allow the strain.”_

_“Ok...” The boy trailed off. “I’m alive.”_

_Shu didn’t say anything._

_“I could’ve died out there._ Would’ve _died.” The boy went on, something like despair creeping into the face that wasn’t hidden below gauze and medical tape. “I would’ve_ died _.”_

_“Yes.” Shu agreed. “Any longer out there and you would have. But you didn’t.” Shu often saw this mindset in the criminals that came crawling back after spending a few days in the forest, repentant after nearly tasting death. “You were lucky.”_

_“Lucky.” Mashan, sitting on the other side of the bed, looked worried at the choked laugh the child let out. “I was lucky. How’m I gonna survive offa luck? Can’t even defend myself, can’t even fend off one Fauna...” Shu sighed –he’d seen this too, self-pity at how weak they were after facing danger, ashamed they weren’t stronger. “I’ll never make it back like_ this _.”_

_“Then change yourself, boy.” Shu cut in, shutting the child up instantly. “Wallow in self-pity if you wish, but I will not stand for it in my presence. Decide whether you are strong enough to face your weakness –and do so before you recover, or I’ll throw you out myself.”_

As he had come to do, Shu interrupted Han’s meditation when he began to sweat from his brow, a sign he recognized as the first stage of overwork. Han wiped at his forehead and accepted the glass of water Shu offered him with a smile and quiet word of thanks, and then stood on wobbly legs to accompany Shu to the gardens. Han greeted those they passed cheerfully and only needed to avoid an attack from the Temple once or twice, which lifted Shu’s mood immensely. Come far indeed.

“Dellio-san, good morn!” Han paused to talk with an older teen that was entering the Advanced stage soon, who had been arrested for trafficking narcotic Ingredients but was making a good effort to be released. “How’s the Temple treating you?”

“Oh, a smack here or there.” Dellio joked –he eyed the pale, gnarled scar on Han’s cheek like a lot of them did. “How’s PT?”

“Mashan-sensei says my Gourmet Cells have helped a lot. I can almost lift my arm now!” Han demonstrated, stopping just shy of where his arm would have stretched to were it not for the scar tissue mangling his upper arm. “Shu-sensei and I were just headed to spar. Wanna come watch?”

“Sorry squirt, I’ve got another seminar with Whishu-sensei in a few minutes. Good luck, though!” Dellio gave Han a thumbs up and Shu a polite bow before continuing on his way.

_The boy recovered within three days, likely due to the presence of Gourmet Cells. But the drawback of such speedy healing was that, when it left scar tissue, the Physical Therapy one needed to go through was even more excruciating and difficult than if it had taken a normal amount of time to mend. Shu walked in on one of the boy’s first PT sessions with Mashan and couldn’t help but wince in sympathy at the agonized groan the child let out when he tried to squeeze a ball with his injured hand._

_“I believe you are well enough to decide.” Shu told him, perhaps a little callously. If they dropped him off in the nearest town there would be a doctor to oversee his therapy there, so Shu saw no point in allowing a potential student to fall to the wayside if the boy so chose to stay. “Mashan-san has explained to you what is taught here, yes?”_

_The boy glared up at him fiercely, and Shu inwardly cursed his luck –the child had become even more recalcitrant. Rather than depression, he’d fallen into anger and resentment. “If I’ll get stronger, I shall learn here.”_

_Shu nodded. “I’ll fetch you in the morning. Practice feeling gratitude or you’ll die within the first hour.”_

_He awoke the boy before the sun was up and pushed him into a uniform within a few minutes, unsympathetic to his bleariness. On the way to the main hall, the Temple was in a state; throwing spikes, rocks, pillars and all manner of attacks at the child, who Shu was forced to protect since he didn’t generally allow new students to die on the first day no matter how rude they were._

_“You must practice appreciation and respect at all times.” Shu scolded as the Temple nearly took the boy’s head off. “Feel gratitude or you won’t survive long.”_

_“Nay, there’s_ nothing _to be grateful for!” The kid snapped, pushing Shu’s hand away. Strangely, the Temple didn’t use the opportunity to attack, so they made it to the back hall at a better pace then they would have otherwise._

_“Then you’re going to have a hell of a time, kid.” Shu shook his head. “Sit down.”_

_The boy scowled and sat cross legged on the floor, and Shu handed him a paper with the outline of his routine written down. He explained that it would be tossed out in a week and that he had better memorize it or none of this was going to work out._

_“Food meditation and the practice of Gratitude is the foundation of learning Food Honour, and everything else we teach here.” Shu said. “You will practice it in the morning and evening, and during the day will either go to Physical Therapy or do as I say. If I believe you are slacking, I will not keep you as a student. Are we clear?”_

_“Yes.” The child said mulishly._

_“Good. I will go over it with you, and then you will do it on your own.” Shu folded himself down beside the child and took the paper so he could have the boy read along. He read aloud the main points, leaving the explanations below for the boy to go over on his own. “Notice how much there is to be grateful for in your life, even in sickness, aging and death, even in temporary experiences, even in bad situations. Then think on the components of your body, and learn to see them realistically, and appreciate them. Analyze your life closely. Adopt an attitude of appreciation in the face of difficulty, and imagine that by undergoing a difficult situation with gratitude you are also promoting others to be grateful.”_

_The child, far from scoffing, was paying attention to everything Shu said. “You must evaluate the possible negative and positive qualities of feelings such as anger, jealousy, and hatred. Then you must reflect on the two opposites of Gratitude –Disparagement and Entitlement; their sources, how they result in further suffering, and that they can be removed. Reflect on the seven nonvirtues and discard them, and adopt the seven virtues. Notice your attachment to food, clothes, and shelter, and adopt practices of gratitude and contentment in regards to them.”_

_Shu folded the paper and handed it to the boy. “You must not lose touch with your feelings of Gratitude and Respect towards all things. To be grateful for food is to be grateful for life. To live is to hunger. To keep living we must keep eating, and to keep eating we must keep killing. We are ever bound to nature’s cycle, and that is why you must be grateful for both your life and all other life.”_

_The boy was quiet, staring at the paper with a far off look in his eyes._

_“What’s your name?” Shu prompted, not in Master Chin’s habit of forgetting. “You may call me Shu-sensei while you are here.”_

_The child was quiet still, a furrow appearing in his forehead. “Han.” He answered, and though Shu knew he was lying, he let it slide. The kid was going to have enough to worry about as it was. “Just Han.”_

Shu led Han through the gardens, happy to see the Empty Bubble Fruits remaining in the air even as they passed close by. For whatever reason, Han had never asked after the real thing –Shu didn’t know whether he just didn’t care about the Fruit or if he had no clue about them in the first place.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to take off your bag for this, Han-kun.” Shu said, noting the brief flash of anxiety before it switched back into acceptance. Han shed his pack with the utmost care and set it to the side of the arena, before he tightened his belt and bowed to Shu, ready to start.

_From the balcony above, Shu watched Han struggle through his afternoon physical therapy, Mashan trying to help him raise his arm properly even with the angry refusals thrown in his face. Han was a temperamental, brooding thing, resentful and flippant of their doctrine while simultaneously managing to have won the Temple’s lenience for most of his behaviour. Even now, as his injured arm jolted against his will and he fell to his knees in pain, Han’s eyes were angry, frustrated, and Shu was certain it was mostly directed inward._

_He knew they would likely never find out where Han had come from. When he inquired, the boy puffed up like a Porcu-Cobra and hissed out that it was none of his business, taking the Temple’s reprimand for being particularly disrespectful before going back to whatever he had been doing. At his best Han was quiet and determined, unwilling to give up at anything Shu assigned him. It was both heartening and heart-breaking to watch the youngest person within the Lost Forest throw his all into this training that Shu himself hadn’t begun until his late teens._

_Mashan soon said something that must have meant the pair were done for the day, because Han waved the man off when he tried to help him stand and stormed away, his small backpack slung over his shoulder like usual. Shu waved when Mashan caught his eye and made a sympathetic motion at the way the medic shook his head, and he jumped down so he could go after Han._

_He eventually found him in one of the back rooms, setting up a Torch Horsetail with a scrunched up expression that did more to remind Shu of his student’s age than anything else._

_“Han-kun, you shouldn’t treat Mashan-san like that.” The boy didn’t respond, and again accepted the Temple’s reprimand; Shu raised an eyebrow. “Your Physical Therapy is going well, I hear. Isn’t that something to be grateful for?”_

_“I should’ve been strong enough to avoid it.” Han said. “I should’ve learnt before how to fight. Not just how to throw a punch, how to stay alive!”_

_“Thinking that way is redundant. You didn’t, and there is nothing to be done about the past.” Shu looked out the window at the gardens where the Empty Bubble Fruits floated serenely. “You practice many things that I have not introduced. Pre-shot routines, Sword forms, cooking, and you possess Gourmet Cells. I’m aware that you have other skills, Han-kun. Follow me.”_

_“Huh? Why?!” Han demanded._

_“I think it’s time you forget about practicing them, and learn to_ use _them.”_

This time the spar went on for a good hour and Han managed to avoid the slice of his Petty Knife almost entirely, save for when Shu cut the sleeve off of his recovering arm. The way the boy changed the landscape of the arena through simple touch was just as fascinating to behold as usual, and it gave Shu more of a workout than he was used to these days. Dodging a sudden pool of water or a great chunk of the ground vanishing or even a giant mushroom ballooning into existence was a good change of pace, especially once the arena was pockmarked with so many changes that sometimes he couldn’t even keep track of where the child was.

When he actually landed a hit using that strange style of sword fighting he called ‘gatka’, Shu grinned, flipped him over and then slammed him into the ground hard enough to knock the wind out of him. Han started coughing something fierce but was grinning wildly at the same time, and when Shu helped him stand he cheered at finally managing to hit Shu after nearly a month’s attempts.

“Good job, Han-kun.” Shu said, and Han paused in his happiness to look at him as if nervous.

“Thank you, Shu-sensei.” He bowed again respectfully. “But, there’s something I need to tell you. In private.”

_Han vomited up his lunch, but when he glanced over, a solid four feet of the wall of the temple was gone and Shu was gaping at the sand covering the ground around their feet. Han let out a weak chuckle and then started laughing in earnest, falling back onto his butt –he took one look at Shu’s face and started up again, and Shu thought that he’d not yet seen the boy so happy in the weeks he’d been at the Temple._

_“How do you feel, Han-kun?” Shu asked, kneeling next to his usually wearisome student._

_“Food Honour_ works _.” Han said, disbelievingly. Shu knew he put his best effort into practicing the ways of Food Honour, but he also knew that Han had a difficult time with it. Mashan had long since theorized that the Temple was actually going easy on him since everyone knew he took to practicing Gratitude like a cat to water. “Mayhaps, I could actually take care of myself.”_

_“Not yet you won’t.” Shu reminded him, noticing the sweat pouring off of him now, although he wasn’t winded. “Use your Cells again right now and you’ll not be able to move.”_

_“But I can do it.” Han said, not in protest but in awe. “I can do_ this much. _I could only do a ring before, without using my blood.” He held up his hand and Shu took a close look at the rough iron ring on his finger._

_“Improved focus through repetitive appreciation, coupled with your theoretical knowledge and previous attempts, leads to becoming capable of releasing your techniques through minimum effort and form.” Shu explained. “You will likely find your other endeavours to be easier as well, should you continue.”_

_“Continue? Of course I shall...” Han paused. “_ Oh _.”_

_Shu smiled, and wondered if he was finally remembering what it felt like._

Shu set a cup of Balance Tea in front of Han and then poured one for himself. The child drank calmly, not spoiling the drink with improper handling, but he betrayed his nerves by the look in his eyes as he avoided Shu’s gaze.

“I’ve been dishonest with you.” Han started, and Shu sat across from him; he knew this conversation would happen at some point. “And I’ve disparaged your generosity.”

“I doubt that. The Temple wouldn’t tolerate Disparagement.” Shu countered reasonably, sipping his tea as well. Han didn’t look comforted by his words, so Shu went on. “Han-kun, I have known that you were being dishonest about yourself from the very first time we spoke. It’s nothing I hold against you.”

_The criminals hosted by the Chowlin Temple were nowhere near irredeemable, Shu knew. They harboured no one who did illegal acts out of a true desire for cruelty –if they did, the Temple itself violently weeded them out within a few hours, which was why they went through a hundred thousand students a year. True, many of those who remained still couldn’t handle it for very long, but that was due to being weak-willed; the criminals who made it longer than a month were generally of an alright sort._

_Shu wondered if having children around was what it took for the Temple to have an uptick in students advancing out of Basic and on to Intermediate._

_“C’mon Musu-san! Better form!”_

_Han had taken to going into the group learning sessions as of late whenever he didn’t have training or Physical Therapy –said something about needing to learn how to work with others again. As opposed to what he expected of the eight year old interacting with a bunch of convicts, Han got on with most of them like a house on fire. Especially, for some reason, with the teenaged delinquents and members of the Gourmet Mafia or Yakuza._

_“You’re a slave driver, gaki!” Musuji, a Yakuza member from Gourmet Town, shouted, bowing as the child placed the Pudding Camel’s Pudding on his head. Han had decided to assist Shu and Manout today and help to correct the adults’ posture, already proficient at it himself by now. Musuji lasted five minutes, longer than he ever had before, before the pudding wobbled and splattered all over his face and shoulders –Han laughed himself silly and received a whack from the Temple._

_“Sorry, Musu-san, but you did truly well!” Han laughed, blushing as the man ruffled his hair. “You shall_ definitely _pass the exam soon!”_

_“Sure would be nice.” Musuji mused. A couple of the other students who had splattered their pudding wandered over; Karem, an arms dealer, scooped Han up and tossing him over her shoulder playfully, Han landed in a crouch like a cat and pounced back up onto her back. Dellio separated them after a few minutes of scuffling and took his pocket handkerchief to Han’s now pudding covered face._

_“Han-chan, you’ll ruin your glasses.” He scolded lightly. “What’d you say about respectable looking Mafia members the other day?”_

_“Nay, I’m not joining the Mafia!” Han protested good-naturedly. “And I haven’t met Match-san yet, so that doesn’t count!”_

_The little group laughed at him, but Jan, one of the rare students from Nerg, looked at Han quizzically. “What’d’you know ‘bout the Don there, lil man?”_

_“...uh, well.” Han suddenly looked a little cornered. “My father... works... with him...”_

_The criminals around him blinked in surprise, and Shu thought to himself that it was no wonder they got along so well with each other._

“Still, I feel awful for it.” Han hung his head and set the tea down. He gripped his knees and bowed the way Shu had seen members of the Gourmet Yakuza bow in the past, and he wondered if Han had picked up the habit from the criminals attending the Temple or from the company his father kept. “I’m sorry. I truly am grateful for all you’ve done for me, and I hold you in the highest respect. I owe you my life, Sensei.”

“Han-kun-”

“My name isn’t even Han –I just didn’t want to, I dunno, maybe I just didn’t want to be that person for a while. And I shan’t be staying for much longer.” Han interrupted, still bowing to Shu. “I barely knew how to defend myself before you took me in, I would’ve died had you not found me. I’ve learnt so much here. But I need to go back to my family.” Han sniffed and got choked up, but he didn’t sound sad. “I’m so grateful for it, that I get to live to see them again. I’m so grateful you helped me, Shu-sensei.”

“Even when you were angry, you were nothing but a splendid student.” Shu said, a little shocked at the child’s seriousness. He had to wonder just where in the Human World the boy had come from, how he had grown up to be so mature and yet still act his age at the same time.

_“Ah, Instructor Shanuto.”_

_“It’s Shu, Master.” Shu said, pausing in the hall and making Han nearly run into his side. “Welcome back... is Chiyo-sama well?”_

_“As ever. We aren’t getting any younger, though.” Chin looked at Han, who was peeking out from behind Shu, suddenly wary of the newcomer his instructor showed deference to. “Hm? This isn’t Pierto’s, is he?”_

_“Ponzu, Master. And no, Yusuke-kun is only two, and at the Value Continent Branch, besides.” Shu pushed Han forward with a hand on his back. “This is Han, one of the regular students. Han, this is Master Chin Chin-Chin. He’s one of the Gourmet Living Legends.”_

_“Ah, yes, Haizo, I’ve heard of you.” Chin nodded._

_“It’s... Han, Master.” Han offered a little timidly as he bowed in greeting._

_“Of course, Harold. Shaman, I noticed a few more names on the graduation wall.” Chin began walking, and Shu followed immediately –Han hesitated, but when Shu looked back he figured he might as well go too._

_“Yes, we’ve had a bit of a rise, Master.” Shu said humbly. “Likely there will be more in a few months.”_

_Chin nodded, then abruptly stopped and spun around to face Han. “What do you think, Hanerty, should we make the tests harder?” Beside them, Shu paused in surprise._

_“What? Why would you do that?” Han asked._

_“Well, we must be going soft for so many to be graduating.” Chin went on, closely studying Han. “Those’re terrible criminals we’re letting go. Surely it would be better if they stuck around longer, hm?” Han’s expression went confused, then aghast, then angry, and he deftly dodged a blow the Temple tried to land on him._

_“How could you say such? They’re doing their best!” Han protested, sidestepping a spike that shot out of the ground. “They have families to get back to; even if they did something bad that’s no reason to make it even_ harder _! You should be grateful that you’re teaching them so well!”_

_Chin’s presence exploded outward, and Han whimpered and fell to his knees –even Shu buckled a bit, and he was used to the man’s sudden moods. Then it cleared, and Han could breathe again._

_“Hm, well said. You pass, Hiu.”_

“You’ve grown so much, you exemplify Food Honour, and I am grateful to have had you as a student.” Shu said. “And wherever you end up, they should be grateful to have you as well.”

“Th-Thank you.” Han said, wiping at his eyes. “I hope I may see you aga-”

Shu jolted when the boy he’d grown somewhat fond of froze mid-sentence, flickered once, twice, and then vanished altogether from the room.


	15. Leaving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hah, if anyone’s interested, the seven nonvirtues are; unnecessary harm, harmful intent, ignorance, divisive talk, covetousness, inattention, and lying, and the seven virtues are; continuous respect, cooperative intent, wisdom, inclusive talk, generosity, mindfulness, and honesty.

SPOILERS

                Harry decided to catch Dudley after his tutoring session at the library, not wanting to reveal that he was back from the Human World at school or number four or out in the street. While he waited for the studying to wind to a close he noticed some of the parents walking past him shooting him looks of horror made up mostly of concern, and he puzzled over it for a few minutes before realizing that the extremely visible scars on his face were likely to draw attention. It wasn’t as big of a deal in the Human World since tons of civilians, Chefs, and Gourmet Hunters had scars of all sorts, but it made sense that it would be less common in Surrey –not even taking into account his age. He experienced a split second of annoyance at the looks, but then the familiar wash of Appreciation came upon him and he saw the compassion and worry for his wellbeing in those eyes, from people who didn’t even know him.

How truly wonderful people were.

Through the glass of the study room, Harry noticed Brenton stand and smile cheerfully, saying something to Dudley that made his cousin absolutely light up. The teenager was a good influence, Harry thought, always patient and so capable at explaining difficult concepts in an easy to understand manner, which was especially important for Dudley, who got caught up in the minutiae of questions and processes so frequently. Harry set his book down and approached the door once Brenton made it clear they were about to head home, and the older boy jumped nearly a foot in the air –stared at Harry like he was seeing a ghost.

“Blimey, _Harry_!” Brenton blurted, making Dudley whirl around from further in the room; Harry smiled and smoothly sidestepped the tutor, patting him on the arm as he did.

“Hi Brenton. I shall put your worries to rest in a few minutes if you’d like to wait, but for now I need to talk with Dudley, okay?” Brenton looked dumbfounded, eyes stuck on Harry’s new scars and very obviously fighting his instinct to refuse. He struggled inwardly for a few seconds before finally he nodded stiffly and plunked himself down on a plush chair a few feet to the left of the door like a slouching guard dog, expression thunderous.

“Thank you.” Harry said, and then he walked into the room and shut the door properly, glad for a place to do this that was mostly sound proof. Dudley hadn’t yet moved, which was interesting –and then he actually looked his cousin in the face and saw that he was crying very openly, but hunched inwards like he wasn’t sure what to do with himself.

“Y-You-You’re _okay_!” Dudley sobbed, and Harry instantly went over and hugged him, his eyes stinging as well; Dudley’s hands dug into the fabric of his backpack and practically crushed him. “Harry, I was s-so-so- _worried_! You were-were just go-go- _gone_!”

“I’m sorry, Dudley. I truly didn’t mean to.” _Acacia_ , what had he been thinking back then, _‘nothing_ _to_ _be_ _grateful_ _for’_? To have this with the cousin that barely a year ago would have sooner laughed at his misfortune than cry, it was such a blessing, something he could never imagine himself taking for granted ever again. “I’m sorry I made you worry, I shall not to do it again.”

“Huh?” Dudley pulled back a bit.

“I do think I should tell you about where I’ve been going.” Harry said as seriously as a teary eyed eight year old could manage. Then he glanced back out the window, to where he could still see Brenton’s dreadlocks peeking up over the top of the chair. “But firstly I want to try to put Brenton off of calling the police about this.”

It took a solid half an hour and about six retellings of the slightly tweaked version of events leading up to today, but Harry and Dudley managed to convince Brenton that his two month disappearance and shiny new scars were not the result of some horrendous abuse suffered at number four. They very carefully did not mention the _actual_ abuse going on, because Harry still had this awful suspicion that his aunt had somehow been the one to stop him from going back to the Human World last year even if he couldn’t prove it. He feared that if someone stirred the pot right now she would do something drastic.

But the fact was that ever since he had scared her during the incident in the kitchen, Harry hadn’t endured much more than neglect from the elder two Dursleys. Even a year and a half after his first trip to Simple Diet Hill they weren’t speaking to him beyond when they absolutely had to, and it certainly wasn’t healthy but Harry wasn’t willing to risk this tenuous peace unless there was no other option.

So Brenton wasn’t happy about it, and he made Harry promise to tell him straight away if something ever did happen –he even offered to let the both of them kip at his place if they needed, even if they just wanted a break for a night and _especially_ if they ever felt unsafe. Harry and Dudley both swore they would and thanked him profusely, though Dudley was a little shaken at the experience, both from Harry’s state and from encountering for the first time what other people thought of his parents. Harry accidentally unearthed a happy dilemma when he found he had no idea how to adequately express how much Brenton’s offer meant to him; every time he tried it just sounded insincere to his ears.

But eventually Brenton had to go, reluctantly mentioning his commitment to babysit his neighbours but impressing on them how serious he was about what they had talked about. And so about three hours after leaving the Chowlin Temple, two months since his near death experience, and a year and a half after meeting Takimaru, Harry sat down with Dudley and told him everything.

Vvv

“A sea of _hot sauce_?”

“That’s right!” Harry laughed at the way Dudley tried to wrap his mind around the concept. “And there were these big shrimp –bigger than me! –that would cook whence they were caught in the currents! Dr. Ananth managed to bring one up once but it was too spicy.”

Dudley had barely needed any convincing at all to believe Harry’s account of the past seventeen months, instantly fascinated by the people and places Harry told him about and asking all manner of incredulous questions –Harry supposed it was understandable if you had never seen something like a tree with leaves made of cheese or a house that floated on a giant lily pad. It was the most fun Harry had in Privet Drive in _ages_ , talking about all of this with his cousin and watching his funny reactions.

“But if they got hurt why would they keep the beach open?” Dudley mulled over the most important point to him so far –that the places Harry went were _dangerous_ a lot of the time. “They could rope it off like the cliff.” He was talking about the sheer rock crags that were near to where his Gran on Vernon’s side used to live, that had poles and ropes slung across the most unstable bits.

“I do think if they roped off every dangerous place, there wouldn’t be nearly anywhere left to live.” Harry said. “Besides, Gourmet Hunters sign up for that sorta thing. Ai-ojiisan’s told me about somma the things his friend Toriko-san did, and it’s a little scary.”

“Like Indiana Jones.” Dudley smacked his fist into his palm like he’d cracked some sort of mystery.

“ _Just_ like Indiana Jones –if he went after Ingredients.” Harry suddenly blinked. “Oh, or Robin Hood!”

“Huh? Robin Hood?”

“Yeah!” Harry jumped up and swung an imaginary sword at Dudley. “He’s the Hunter and Little John is the Chef, they’re Combo Partners! Stealing Ingredients from the rich so they can cook for the poor!” Dudley looked like he was puzzling something out again. “And the Sherriff and the Prince, the bad guys, are Poachers and greedy, they don’t want to share! So even though it’s dangerous, Robin and Little John _have_ to do it!”

“B-Braving the woods and the Sherriff’s men to –to do the right thing!” Dudley chimed in; he mimed shooting an arrow and laughed like he was embarrassed. “Sword fights! Rescues!”

“A burning castle!” Harry gave a mock yell and pointed at the jungle gym, and, red-faced, clumsily quoted the book he had once read while traveling. “Now hark you all, upon thy stones do climb!”

Dudley followed his direction, and by when dinnertime came round and they both needed to return to number four they were panting and covered in dirt, ruddy in the face, but laughing like the small children they often didn’t seem like.

Vvv

The few months left until Dudley turned nine, and then four weeks later would Harry, seemed to swiftly pass them by as never before. In the confusion of his flee from the Tearor Moran Bird Harry had left his Satellite phone in the Lost Forest, and when he arrived some time later back in the Human World he could neither retrieve it nor afford a replacement. It did not cause him such distress these days, for he truly had been markedly changed by his months learning at the Chowlin Temple, but when he could not call his father whenever he wished he did regret it. The times now which he got through to Takimaru he could tell that the man was as stressed as ever before and worried terribly besides; their quick and infrequent calls were proving a cheap balm to the ever growing dissatisfaction at being separated for so long.

But Harry did try to make the best of it, did try to feel grateful for the experiences he had and the good relationship he now enjoyed with his cousin. Talking with the other boy about the Human World and everything he previously kept bottled inside was doing his heart well, and even more so was the apology he finally received from Dudley in mid-April. Despite his nagging anxiety to the contrary, Harry could clearly tell that his cousin was sincere in his regret over his behaviour and how long it took him to actually voice it, and as one might expect that conversation ended with a lot of tears, but more importantly, forgiveness.

It was just what the pair of them needed, at any rate; some unseen weight left Dudley’s shoulders afterward and Harry’s worries were finally soothed, and the two presently were thicker than thieves. It became an uncommon sight at school recess to see them apart from one another if Harry was in attendance, and by now even the volunteers at the gurdwara had grown used to the addition at the langar, fussing over Dudley as they did with Harry, much to the boy’s embarrassment. Harry was glad for it, glad for how smoothly things were going in regards to this even if the one thing he desperately wanted hadn’t yet come to pass.

But then, there was something in the back of his mind constantly nagging at him that something was going to happen this summer. He didn’t know what or exactly when, nor whether it would be something good or bad, but the one thing he was sure of was that it absolutely _wasn’t_ his anxiety putting ideas in his brain. It was surer, closer to the way his Gourmet Cells felt in those first few seconds after he phased into wherever he landed that time –Dudley looked worried when he confided this to him and started acting distracted as his birthday crept closer and closer.

Once, when Harry went alone to the gurdwara after returning from a trip to an empty house, he came across his gatka teacher, Harpreet Kaur, speaking with a few of the regulars about the Amrit ceremony they were about to take in a few weeks. Harry took a plate and sat nearby, eating while he waited for her to finish advising them, and smiled when she waved them off and walked over to join him.

“Harry, it has been a while.” Ms. Harpreet greeted neutrally; Harry always felt bad that he couldn’t explain his frequent absences from the classes to any of his teachers, especially when they were always so willing to go over the content he missed. “You’re doing well?”

Harry nodded. “I might get adopted soon.” He _also_ always felt bad for lying about living in a group home, especially now that he’d had the seven virtues practically beat into him at Chowlin Temple; number seven, Honesty. But the by now ingrained habits of that time also made him go easy on himself, for the gratitude he felt at their kindness and the appreciation he felt at how much he was growing did not allow him much room for regrets. “He’s a really nice person. I do think I’ll like to live with him.”

At the least he could give his teacher this, tell her that things were looking up for him even if he was stretching the truth. Ms. Harpreet’s smile was beautiful, if a rare sight, and right now it was directed straight at him. “I’m so happy for you, Harry. Just don’t give up on your classes even if you move away from here, okay?”

“I shan’t, I promise!” He chirped, then he glanced at one of the young women she had been talking to before. “I wanna take the Amrit someday.”

“Oh?” She eyed him curiously. “Don’t you think you’re a bit young to be thinking about that sort of thing?”

“Nay.” Harry looked away and fiddled with his ring, and decided that he could tell her a bit more than what he usually spoke about. She was the one to accept his enrolment in the gatka classes, after all, when Sri Guru Singh usually had an age policy of ten years old being the youngest let in. “I love everyone here. You’ve all been so kind to me –I’m always grateful for it, always. So of course I want to be a part of the Khalsa. Even if I believe in other things, too.” Harry smiled up at her, a little cheekily. “And I already follow a lot of the Rehit, the Amrit Vela and Naam Japo, and stuff. So I don’t need to think about it much.”

Ms. Harpreet barked out a laugh. “Smart little thing, you are. Still a baby, though.” She snickered at the way Harry pouted. “But if you wanted to, say, do what you want until you’re older, I don’t think you’d be breaking any rules. Harry Singh, huh?”

Harry hid a smile. “Mayhaps not _Harry_.” He said, and then finished his rice sitting in silence with her.

Vvv

The day of Dudley’s ninth birthday, Harry awoke to a splitting headache and scurried out of the house when his aunt barked at him, catching Dudley’s apologetic look on his way out and sending him back a shrug. The day was bright and clear, a Saturday for all the good it did, and Harry trudged up towards Magnolia Park as he did most free days, the pounding in his head lessening somewhat the further he walked from number four, as usual.

Climbing the fence into the farmer’s field, Harry soon was inside the thicket of trees where he had disappeared so long ago, and settled in for some hours to meditate. He was not one to while away the day so readily, but when he knew Dudley would be away with his parents he chose to take the quickest route to the end. By afternoon his head was soothed and his Cells calm and pliable, and he had changed a few small things around into whatever else for practice; a stone into a spiral of wood, a leaf into a pile of sand of different colours, and a patch of grass into a patch of tall, foreign flowers. Having learnt Food Honour to some degree and now able to use his Cells in acceptable amounts, as of late he had begun to try to coax smaller things into more complex changes, to some effect.

That same feeling in his mind, of a coming event of neither ill will nor good faith, nipped at his heels the rest of the day, stronger than he’d known it to be and distracting him terribly. It was ever present even as he tried to occupy himself with sword forms, cleaning plates at the langar and reading his copy of Robin Hood –so present that by dinnertime he felt about through with it all, and resigned himself to ignore it until he took to bed.

Number four was lit up when he arrived back, but it was quiet as well –his aunt and uncle sat in the living room and drank from small cups some sherry, and it turned Harry’s stomach to see it. Upon entering the kitchen for a glass of water he came across his cousin, sitting at the table wearing a new sweater and looking for all the world like he was caught up in a daydream. He noticed Harry within seconds and snapped out of his reverie, standing so to pull Harry out the back door and away from the ears of his parents.

“Were you alright, today? Mum was in a right state this morning.” Dudley said unhappily, and so broad was his scowl that Harry thought his cousin must be taking great offense on his behalf. “I’m sorry she kicked you out.”

“I wasn’t on bad footing.” Harry grinned to put his cousin at ease. “I did some work at Sri Guru Singh, but I’ll admit I was a little distracted. I do have your gift, though!” Harry then pulled a small package wrapped in brown paper and twine from his bag, and Dudley blanched stark white.

“I _forgot_!” He cried in dismay, and then bade Harry to stay where he was while Dudley darted back indoors. Harry saw the light in Dudley’s room flicker on a few minutes later, and it remained lit for several more before the window darkened and Dudley was back with him again, clutching in his hands a small plastic bag with a bow taped to it. “I –uh –I got you a birthday gift, too! Because you seemed –uh –really worried that something was gonna happen this summer.”

Harry took one glance at his tomato red cousin and felt a stinging behind his eyes, so great that he had to pause and take a few deep breaths lest he start sobbing on the spot. When had he last received a gift in Privet Drive that wasn’t simply a hand-me-down of Dudley’s shoved at him by his aunt?

“You firstly.” He said, and they exchanged presents, the both of them smiling giddily. Dudley carefully untied the string and then peeled back the corners of the paper, and upon seeing what Harry had given him he simply stared for a minute, making Harry nervously speak. “It’s –It’s a Kara. You wear it on your right wrist and it-it reminds you of –that you’re a good person. ‘ _Oh, my merchant friend, and you were given your allotted time to do good deeds_ ’. I –I made it for you, because you’re a good person, Dudley.”

Indeed he had –the circlet of iron was simple and yet Harry had fashioned it himself through his own Cells, having practiced in more complex forms just for such a purpose. Dudley bit his lip as he picked it up and away from its paper wrapping, still looking at it with an expression Harry could not tell any way about, whether disappointed or grateful.

“Haha, now I feel a little silly.” Dudley said in a wobbly tone, slipping the band on his wrist. “Open yours, Harry.”

And Harry did, and he stared down at the Kara in his palm with a bubble of laughter ballooning up in his chest, and when he too slipped the steel band on his wrist they held them up side by side and burst into giddy laughter at how much thought they had put into their gifts, only for the other to have done the same. Something warm tugged at Harry’s stomach and he pulled his cousin into a hug, feeling right now more than ever that he was happier than anyone in the world.

And then the two boys froze, flickered once, twice, and vanished from the backyard all together.

Vvv

Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking, and it was apparent to everyone what had distracted him.

The Goblet’s fire once more turned red, shooting sparks and burning as brightly as the three times before this. A long flame flung itself up into the air, and in its grasp was yet another piece of parchment –something which, to everyone who knew the history of the Tournament, should have been impossible.

The slip fluttered in the air for a long moment before Dumbledore’s hand seized it, bringing it up to his face so he could study it closely. His eyes widened enough that even the student body could tell he was shocked at the name that was written there, and as he stared at the parchment so too did the assembled schools stare at him. And then Dumbledore cleared his throat and read aloud –

“Harry Potter.”

And then with a sound like the rustling of fabric, there was a flicker of colour in the great empty space between the raised platform for the Teachers’ table and the students’ tables, and then there was another. And within seconds the flicker had coalesced into three shades, two human sized and one as large as a Rhino, and within another few seconds they had taken shape, and with a noise that split the ears of all in the Great Hall the three came into existence. They appeared frozen solid for a moment before they began to move, and they looked around as if startled before the shorter of the two people glanced at his companions wearily.

“Well struck!” He said with a grin. “I _do_ think we’ve avoided the Gourmet World again!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo, and now I can take a break! I'll be back with more chapters in 1-2 weeks!


	16. Hogwarts and the Partners

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is not, nor will it ever be, one that includes a Harry/Dudley pairing (nor anything else incestuous or between a minor and an adult). My views on affection between people are very liberal, so while some of this may ring as more-than-platonic in a different situation, know now that this is not, nor will it ever be, my intention. I will state outright if there is romantic intention in any relationship in this story. Regardless, if you have a concern, please feel free to message me and I shall address it, and change it if I must.

Disclaimer: I don’t own anything.

SPOILERS

 Dudley surveyed the hall they landed in and wondered if this was some sort of school since the majority of people were wearing uniforms and appeared close to their age. A table full of adults was off to one end of the enormous room, and directly in front of them stood an extremely old, bearded man in gaudy blue robes. When he glanced at Hamaru he saw that his cousin was staring curiously at the star-covered ceiling –Dudley huffed in resignation, once again the one to acknowledge the unknown instead of bypass it nonchalantly. Maybe two extra years in the Human World really did make a difference.

“Sorry for poppin’ in.” Dudley said to the old man, bowing slightly if only to be polite. “Wanna tell us where we are? We’n get on our way.”

Whispers started up among the people surrounding them –they seemed to be benign enough, and Dudley even caught a few words like ‘apparition’, ‘goblet’, and ‘Potter’, the last of which set him slightly on edge. Hamaru seemed to have heard it too, for his cousin placed a hand on Bonnet’s side that was as much to reassure the Fauna as it was himself. The old man was approached from the side by an older lady, nowhere near Setsuno-sama but even so, and whatever she whispered in his ear must have meant something, because he suddenly went from surprised to serious and nodded.

“I’m afraid we are a tad confused as well. Would you boys mind talking with us privately?” He asked, and Dudley sized him up. He couldn’t feel _any_ sort of presence from this man, which either meant extremely weak or _extremely_ powerful –Dudley looked over and caught Hamaru’s eye.

“We shan’t mind.” Hamaru turned on his charming smile and Dudley very nearly snorted because everyone always said he’d do well in politics, but they never took into account just how _genuine_ Hamaru was –it would never work. Especially not once his long, long fuse ran out and he resembled more a two-bit hoodlum than the esteemed grandson of the leader of the Gourmet Knights.

The old man led them through a door just past the long (teachers?) table, the lady lagging behind probably to control whatever reaction to their appearance was going to happen. Bonnet followed them, docile as ever even with the people assembled giving the Fauna nervous glances. When they were through the door the old man hurried them further into the room, also keeping his distance from Bonnet but ultimately not making a big deal of it. He brought Dudley and Hamaru over to a small cluster of older teenagers gathered near a fireplace, who looked confused at their presence and not a little bit standoffish.

“What is it?” The blonde girl asked, practically jittering with nerves. Hamaru gave her a concerned look, probably at how pale she was. “Do zey want us back in ze hall?”

“I’m afraid not, Ms. Delacour, there has been-”

The old man was cut off by the entry of a short, middle aged man with a shine to his smile that Dudley didn’t like. “Extraordinary!” He said loudly, making a grand gesture with his arms toward Hamaru and practically bouncing on his heels. “Absolutely smashing! Gentlemen, Lady... may I introduce, as unbelievable as it might sound, the _fourth_ Triwizard Champion! Harry Potter himself!”

The tallest teenager straightened and looked Hamaru over, a gleam of competitiveness in his eyes. The shorter boy didn’t quite react, though he did shoot the loud man a look that indicated he thought he was off his rocker. The girl huffed and crossed her arms stiffly, shifting her hair as she said tiredly, “Very funny joke, Mister Bagman!”

"Joke?" ‘Bagman’ looked bewildered. Out of his peripheral Dudley saw that Hamaru was tense again, so he moved closer, decidedly placing himself between Hamaru and Bagman. "No, no, not at all! Harry Potter’s name just came out of the Goblet of Fire, and then this boy here –by all rights James Potter’s son by his looks!"

And that was a name Dudley hadn’t heard in years, and by Hamaru’s stiffening he hadn’t expected it either. Dudley had only seen a picture of his deceased uncle once or twice, and while Hamaru was the same in both skin and hair his cousin possessed the green eyes of his mother, something they only knew because Dudley’s Mum used to talk about it a little whenever she got tipsy. James Potter hadn’t worn the turban in that single photo either, while Hamaru wore one in bright purple with the Knights’ crescent moon decorating it on the side. By now as well, Hamaru was dotted with scars that separated him from the long dead man, and his style of dress took more after the Knights and Sikh traditional fare than British norms.

Dudley hadn’t gotten so sucked into the culture, preferring something a bit more familiar –sturdy brown boots with black pants tucked into them and his leather Chef tool pouch strapped to his leg. A white Chef’s coat adorned with the crescent moon, a black long sleeved shirt underneath it, and the most obvious tell of the Knights’ influence; atop his head a green turban wrapped in their way, different from Hamaru’s in that his cousin wore his in the Pagri style.

Both of them wore a purple sash tied round their stomachs, the ends of Dudley’s knotted off to the side and the ends of Hamaru’s pulled up and over his shoulder, then pinned to the breast of his shirt –as was proper.

“But evidently zair has been a mistake.” The blonde protested again. “Zair cannot be more zhen three Champions, and ‘Arry Potter should be too young.”

“Well, it _is_ unheard of.” Bagman glanced over at Hamaru; Dudley puffed up like an angry cat, and then Hamaru placed a hand on his forearm and he sighed, settling down for the time being. “The age restriction was only imposed this year... I can’t say if he’ll be able to skip out even if it’s in the rules... Harry may have to participate.”

“I do wonder what it is you’re speaking of.” Hamaru interrupted. All present looked to him as if he’d grown a second head. “I don’t care for turnaround, so I shall tell-”

But he wasn’t able to finish, as just then the door to the room opened and a large group of people tumbled in; the older woman from before followed closely by a sickly looking man, a man in furs, a woman as tall as Heavenly King Toriko and then finally a man with long black hair. When the door opened Dudley clearly heard the loud buzz of the student body, and he dearly wished they weren’t talking about them, though he knew that was probably too much to ask.

                “Madame Maxime!" The blonde strolled over to the tall woman, looking aghast. "Zey are saying zis –zis strange boy is to compete!"

‘Maxime’ looked furious, and Dudley noticed how everyone took a slight step back when she drew up to her full height, brushing the chandelier with the top of her head and letting out an unhappy rumble.

“What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?”

“I’d rather like to know that myself.” The man in furs butt in. “Suspicious circumstances at Hogwarts? I don’t recall the rules stating _four_ Champions was quite the amount agreed upon.”

The two dissolved into bickering, both greatly offended by the issue, and the old bearded man sighed out loud as if this were a common occurrence. Behind him, Hamaru watched the interactions with just as much interest as he did, using his unseen hand to tap out Morse Code on Dudley’s shoulder, _‘k-e-e-p c-a-l-m i-n u-k m-a-y-b-_ e’, to which Dudley couldn’t agree more. The accents matched up, not even to mention that Harry had almost never introduced himself as ‘Harry Potter’ in all his years of living in the Human World. When the long haired man cut in, Dudley paid attention to how he glared in their direction with clear malice.

“There is no one to blame but Potter, Karkaroff.” He sneered, and Dudley practically boiled over.

“Dud, don’t.” Hamaru whispered.

“Don’t go blaming Dumbledore for the Potter legacy of breaking rules and causing bedlam.” The man went on. “If he hadn’t been missing I’d say he did it on _purpose_ -”

“Severus I don’t think _-_ ”

“They’re steamrollin’ over us, I gotta say somethin’.” Dudley protested in a whisper as well. “An’ if he’s gonna talk shit about you-”

“ _Dudley-_ ”

“It’s no great leap of logic! His father was always pulling attention seeking stunts like the fool he was.”

“ _Severus!_ ”

“That is hardly appropriate-”

“This is an _outrage_ -”

“Would you all _hold!”_

The assembled strangers all gasped when the weight of Hamaru’s suddenly apparent presence fell upon them, the pressure making their knees buckle slightly –it was nowhere near enough to knock them out, but it certainly got their attention and made them shut up. Dudley calmly abided the stifling pressure, used to it by now after so long, until after a minute Hamaru reeled it back. His cousin rarely got truly angry, and this wasn’t one of those times, he’d probably just been fed up by their bickering and taken some of Dudley’s argument into account. Hamaru took a deep, short breath and stepped forward so that Dudley was pretty much looming over his shoulder.

“We know not of where we are, nor what has brought us.” He said, and sometimes Dudley still found it a little hard to parse; the accent and speech patterns his cousin had picked up from Taki-ji one of the more unique in the Human World, as outdated there as here. “In my early youth I was thereabouts called Harry Potter, but I’ve not in over five years. Hamaru Singh is my name, son of Taki son of Ai, and I should like you to call me by it.” He then bowed deeply, as proper as ever, and when he straightened he looked at the bearded old man amidst the strangers.

“I mean no harm in my appearance here, nor does my Partner even if he’s a fellow with a poor temper.” Hamaru shot him a grin and Dudley rolled his eyes. “Since you know of me, and this place, I trust there is someone here who may help us in understanding what’s going on?”

A few beats of silence passed, and then the lady from back in the hall stepped forward and spoke.

“Indeed, Mr. Po –Mr. Singh.” She said primly, and Dudley liked her already. “I am Minerva McGonagall. You are currently in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, located in Scotland. You’ve appeared in the middle of the selection of contenders for the esteemed Triwizard Tournament, and your, ahem, former name was somehow among them.”

“Wizards?” Dudley couldn’t help but mutter –in Scotland, of any country in the world they landed themselves in _Scotland,_ and these people were talking _witchcraft._ At the same time, Hamaru exclaimed, “By Acacia, Scotland?! Truly?”

“Yes. Unfortunately, due to this being a magical tournament, you may be unable to bow out. Even if you did not enter yourself.” McGonagall sounded apologetic. “Ah, Mr. Crouch? Mr. Bagman?”

Dudley crossed his arms and actually tried looming this time, playing up the perception other people often had of him being an ill tempered bodyguard –they weren’t wrong, per say, but it’s not like he often tried to come off that way. ‘Crouch’ was the one whom the whole room subtly looked to for the final word on this whole ‘magic tournament’ business. “The rules clearly state that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire must compete.” He stated, staring at Hamaru and Dudley passively. “We must follow the rules.”

“Well, Barty knows the rulebook back to front.” Bagman said with a ‘what can you do?’ shrug, and Dudley actually did snap this time; Hamaru looked a little amused by how he was acting, which was probably for the best.

“That’s bare BS, bruv, if I’ve ever heard any!” He growled, and suddenly the attention was off Hamaru and on him, which was just fine. “ _Esteemed_ , you lots should ’ave rules tied round loopholes bungled up in red tape if it’s nearly _half_ so old as this place looks. I’d bet my knife there’s three different ways what someone gets kicked out for wearin’ the wrong _colours_!”

“And who, may I ask, are you?” Crouch asked, sneering down his nose at Dudley –the three older teenagers were looking increasingly uncomfortable as the tension in the room crept up.

“Ah, I’m sorry for not introducing him, my good man.” Hamaru cut in smoothly. He linked his arm through Dudley’s and once more smiled charmingly at them all, effectively taking hold of the conversation. “Nay but for his temper, Dudley Dursley is the stoutest man anyone should meet in a kitchen. My own cousin and Combo Partner of whom I hold in highest regard.” His little speech inadvertently soothed Dudley’s ire, as usual, until Hamaru went on with a quick jab to Dudley’s stomach with his elbow. “He is but a fussing nanny, worried for my person in this strange place –please forgive him.”

“I’ll murder you.” Dudley told his Partner, stone-faced.

“I do think I would appreciate if the rule book mayhaps was looked over.” Hamaru went on as if he hadn’t heard him. “But otherwise, I’ve no objections to competing as yet. Discussing this odd occurrence may be better left for the morrow; if it’s really so sudden as you say, I warrant a proper investigation should cast some light on the subject.”

Ringing silence was Dudley’s favourite sound, and the looks on these people’s faces quite satisfying too. Serves them right, for being tournament experts and teachers but acting like a bunch of Hissing Ingus-Cats when something threw a wrench into their operation.

“ _Fine_.” The man in fur –Karkaroff? –bit out, obviously unhappy. “The boy... makes a point about the need for investigation. But if nothing is found, Durmstrang will certainly _not_ be competing in the next tournament!”

“Zhis is my zhinking as well.” Maxime said. “Zhere is no use in bickering like school children. Zhere is nothing to be done tonight, eizher.”

“Well said, my dear Madame.” The bearded old man said, and ‘Severus’ made a harsh scoffing noise before he stormed out of the room in a huff –good riddance to him, Dudley thought.

“Well, the first task!” Bagman jumped back into the conversation now that it wasn’t so perilous, moving to stand directly in front of the fire. “Of three.” He added for Hamaru’s benefit. “Why don’t we go over it, so we might all head off to bed, yes?”

“Indeed.” Crouch said, approaching the fire as well, and Dudley thought it did the man no service; he looked as if he could keel over any second, with his pale, weathered skin and tired air about him. Why did everyone here look so sickly and underfed? “The first task is designed to test your daring, so we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in... every wizard.” He stood stock still, staring at them eerily. “It will take place on November twenty-fourth, in front of the student bodies and a panel of judges.”

“The Champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament. You will face the first task armed only with your wands... Singh, how much of a magical education have you completed?”

Hamaru blinked in surprise at being addressed so suddenly, but then he gave another cheeky smile. “I have my skills, Crouch-san. I shall be as able as any other, I do say.”

Crouch nodded. “Nevertheless, perhaps a briefing on your status to amend the age difference. Once the first task is over you will receive your instructions on the second task –in regards to end-of-year exams, Champions are exempt due to the demanding and time consuming nature of the tournament.”

“Bangin’.” Dudley whispered, making Hamaru laugh quietly.

“That’s all for today, is it Dumbledore?”

“I believe so.” So the old man was named ‘Dumbledore’. “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to stay tonight, Barty? You look a fright.”

“Like a washed Ghoul Bird.” That time Hamaru shushed him, and then within a few minutes the only ones left in the room were the two of them along with Dumbledore, McGonagall, and the teenager who hadn’t been so tall as the other.

“Cedric, I suggest you head off to bed.” Dumbledore told the teen, who was looking at Hamaru and Dudley curiously. “I am sure Hufflepuff is waiting to celebrate with you –with a great deal of mess and noise. You and Harry can become acquainted tomorrow.”

“Ah, of course, Headmaster.” Cedric agreed, and then there was one less person in the small chamber.

This seemed to be the best time for Dudley to voice his dissatisfaction with the events thus far.

“What a buncha shitbirds. Can’t be bothered one way or the other to slow down an’ think.” Then he pointed a finger directly at Dumbledore, glad to see the man look startled. “An’ he _said_ his name’s Hamaru, so get it right, y’old moron!”

“Dudley, you’ve been in company with Monchy-ji and Brunch-san too much.” Hamaru shook his head. “Regardless, I would be grateful, erm, Headmaster?”

“Albus Dumbledore, my boy. My apologies, an old brain cannot always remember things straight away.” Hamaru nodded in acceptance. “And though you’ve spoken, this is my Deputy Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall.”

“A pleasure. McGonagall-san, I must ask again, is it surely Scotland we’re stood upon?”

“As sure as I live here.” McGonagall nodded.

“My, we’ve not been on British soil in longer than I’ve been a Singh!” Hamaru said, tilting his head back to hit Dudley in the shoulder but also get him to look him in the eye. “Dudley, what an opportunity!”

“Aye, safe.” He wasn’t so sure, but he wasn’t going to say it right now. “Froese, I’m feelin’ well like I was hit with a truck while frassed.”

“Perhaps, we should also belay this conversation until tomorrow?” Dumbledore suggested. “We can set you up in some rooms for the night and have a longer conversation about the tournament and such when you wake. It’s getting fairly late.”

“It is a kind offer, but one that is ill-advised.” Hamaru said. “This place is foreign to us, and it would be a kindness to learn exactly what to expect as soon as ye can tell us.”

“Oh, yes, alright.” Dumbledore nodded and stepped towards the door to the hall they had appeared in, McGonagall following him. “I think it would be best to continue this in my office.”

“Please, lead the way.” Hamaru said, bowing lowly. “Bonnet, we’re going.”

Bonnet lifted his head up from the ground and made a chirping noise in answer, and then drew himself up on his six legs, still looking to Dudley like a cross between a beetle and a platypus, beige fur puffing briefly before it settled again.

“Ah, we have some paddocks outdoors, if you need them?” McGonagall said, and she gamely fell into step just in front of them, not so much avoiding Bonnet as keeping an eye on him. Hamaru smiled slightly and shook his head.

“Bonnet is as gentle and polite as a butterfly, I assure you. He’ll be comfortable enough indoors for a night or two.”

So the strange procession led by wizards went, up the great staircase and ascending several floors until they came to the end of a long hallway that was guarded by two stone creatures which shifted slightly upon their approach. Dumbledore gave some odd collection of words that were fairly obviously a password, and then a spiralling stone staircase appeared in the wall as if –well, by magic. The office at the top of the stairs was as eccentric as its owner, with all manner of strange contraptions and odd trinkets around, and a bird perched next to the desk, glowing slightly in the dark. Dudley’s Chef-inclined brain couldn’t help but appraise it like he would a hen for sale at the market, and he got the most peculiar feeling that the bird knew what he was thinking and was glaring at him in disapproval over its beak.

“Would you care for tea, Harry- I apologize, Hamaru? Dudley?” Dumbledore asked quietly, taking out a wooden stick and twirling it about, causing lights to flicker on and a couple of chairs to appear seemingly from thin air. Grudgingly, Dudley took a seat after Hamaru, thinking that maybe ‘magic’ wasn’t such a load of hogwash; Gourmet Cells didn’t act like this, _ever_ , and the fact he couldn’t feel any in the immediate vicinity lent credence to their claims.

“Surely, I’m glad to accept.” Hamaru passed a cup of tea to Dudley without fanfare and he grunted in thanks, tense in this castle in Scotland full of strangers with odd powers and ambiguous goals. It was good tea, though –he couldn’t even taste any lingering pesticides, one of the biggest contentions for those of the Faith when it came to the things they could eat. Dudley himself didn’t make as much of a fuss over it as some members of the Faith did, especially if there was no other option to be had.

Once everyone was served a cup and sat down, with both Dumbledore and McGonagall choosing to sit out in front of the desk, the old man opened with the question Dudley had silently been expecting ever since James Potter had been mentioned earlier. “Well, my boy, I suppose I’ll ask what everyone has been burning to know –where on Earth have you been these past five years?”

“Firstly, I must ask how it is that you know me? My biological father, in some manner, but the particulars elude us.”

Dumbledore and McGonagall suddenly looked like they hadn’t slept in a week. “Your mother and father were both students here, at Hogwarts.” McGonagall said. “Before you were born, the Wizarding World was threatened by a man who wanted to rule it, by any means necessary. James and Lily joined the resistance to fight against him, and when you were born, went into hiding to try and protect you. They were killed when he discovered their location, and you were orphaned.”

That... was completely different from what Dudley’s mother had maintained for years; that being James Potter was a drunk who had corrupted Lily Evans and they had both died in a car accident. Dudley felt a clammy, shaking hand latch onto one of his, but when he looked at Hamaru out of the corner of his eye the other boy seemed as unaffected as usual –Dudley squeezed back and felt the shaking lessen slightly.

“And my biological parents were both... wizards.” Hamaru asked, a bit of his ever present cheer slipping.

“As are you, my boy.” Dumbledore answered.

“Mayhaps, in a way.” Hamaru hedged. “Well, as to where I was; I shall say truthfully, it is no place on any map you possess. Simple Diet Hill has been my home hence that even’ five years and some ago, Dudley’s as well, and I was legally adopted by Taki son of Ai when I was seven years old. He is a kind, loving man who has raised us as his own, and if it should soothe your worry, he is a better guardian to me in a day than my aunt and uncle were in near to ten years. Forgive my saying so, Dudley.”

He shook his head. “Nah, it’s the truth. Taki-ji’s been better for us both, I’d say.”

“Adopted? But your Aunt and Uncle were in quite a state when they reported you and your cousin _missing_ , my boy.” Dumbledore looked nearly as confused as McGonagall.

“I don’t suppose you are familiar with Gourmet Cells?” When the pair shook their heads, Hamaru sighed. “They are, essentially, the physical embodiment of the source of life, even if not everything possesses them in an amount that can be used or detected. They have extreme regenerative and strength-enhancing qualities, and if inclined, a person can develop a certain manner in which to use them. My grandfather can extract diseases from people and cure them if he eats the tainted flesh, for example.” Hamaru chuckled at the slightly queasy looks on their faces. “As for myself, by the time I was seven I had begun to use my Cells to change the molecular composition of things. It has been theorized that in a time of stress I did so to my own body, thereby reforming somewhere else in the world –and that day, I did so and pulled Dudley along with me. Unable to return, we remained.”

“That... is magic, Harr-Hamaru.” Dumbledore said, like he was unused to explaining the concept –Dudley couldn’t stop himself from snorting. “It may be employed in a different manner, but the fact that you have done this since you were a child is consistent with Accidental Magic. Your Aunt, Uncle and cousin are all non-magical, but both your parents were wizards...”

“I assure you that is not the case, my good man.” Hamaru replied evenly. “I have been tested quite thoroughly, as has Dudley, and by all accounts, by all expert opinion, and by all scientific data, we do utilize Gourmet Cells. If you would like to check in your way, by all means. But this is not an _important_ point of contention. This place is a school in which my birth parents did study, truly, and you may have known me as a small babe. And now here I have found myself, obligated to compete in a tournament I did not enter, and I know not the first thing about this situation beyond any of that.”

“Yes, putting _aside_ magic vs... gourmet cells,” McGonagall cut in, and she stared sternly at Dumbledore when he opened his mouth to speak until he closed it again. “We will of course provide living quarters for the duration of your stay, as well as meals and access to school resources –the same as if you were participating with a visiting school. I will personally bring up an investigation into the events that caused this, you have my word.” Hamaru nodded in thanks. “Due to the vast difference in age and your limited magical education, I feel it is prudent to inform you that the first task is to ‘get past a Dragon to retrieve an item’, in whatever means you deem necessary that does not involve killing the creature.”

“Minerva...” Dumbledore sounded half resigned, half scandalized.

“If I know anything about this tournament, Albus, it’s that there are always participants who bend the rules. Tell me the other schools haven’t yet informed their Champions.” She paused, but Dumbledore said nothing. “Quite right. As for your obligations as Champion –representing your institution properly, competing to the best of your abilities, and following the rules of the tournament. There is also a ball around Yuletide that you are expected to attend with a dancing partner. Otherwise, nowadays there isn’t much pomp or ceremony attached to the position you’re in.”

“Thank Froese. Sounds easier than an IGO meeting, eh, Hama?” Dudley relaxed slightly now, the upfront and clear way McGonagall had explained the circumstances they might be stuck in a balm to his nerves. “I’m assumin’ there’s some sorta secrecy involved with all this.”

“There is a Statute that says non-magical people not related to a Witch or Wizard cannot be told of magic.” McGonagall confirmed. “And Hogwarts itself is protected by wards and spells that make it difficult to find.”

“Then if ye’d arrange transport, we’ve got some people back in Surrey we need’ta see. Preferably soon, since we ain’t sure how long we’re gon’ be here.” Dudley and Hamaru had spent many a conversation talking about what they would do if they ever found themselves in the U.K. again. “An’ ya mentioned meals –I’ll need to see the kitchen at some point tomorrow.”

“Ah, the kitchens aren’t generally open for public use...” McGonagall trailed off at the dismayed expression on Dudley’s face. “Mr. Dursley?”

“Not _open_? Okay, Hama, I’ve changed my mind, I can’t bloody stay here.” Hamaru laughed brightly.

“McGonagall-san, Dumbledore-san, I implore you make an exception for my dear Chef, or I’m afraid he shall not survive a week. Lacking a kitchen is like losing a limb for the poor babe.” He squawked and kept snickering when Dudley reached over and pinched his cheek for the verbal teasing. “Wipe your eyes, man! I hate to see a stout fellow so snivelling like a child over a spilt cup of milk! Nay, _Dud_ , stop!”

“Aah, should I, my _dear_ Hunter?”

“I’m sorry to interrupt, Mr. Singh, but ‘your Chef’?” McGonagall interjected, pulling Hamaru and Dudley out of their brief romp.

“Sure am, boss. An’ per our Agreement it’s a meal a day at least or I’ve grounds to break it off.” Dudley said smugly, elbowing his cousin in the ribs a little.

“Ah, I do think they don’t know what Combo Partners are, Dud.” Hamaru elbowed back and reminded him of a _big_ difference between the U.K. and the Human World, the particulars of which had begun to blur and fade with each passing week they remained in the latter. “Dudley and I are Combo Partners. It’s a professional relationship between a Gourmet Hunter –myself –who provides Ingredients, and a Chef –Dudley –who prepares them. In our Combo Agreement, Dudley stipulated that he was to prepare at least one meal a day, when possible. He shamelessly takes advantage.”

“Coulda called it a sheg, cousin. Don’t think Brunch-sensei only taught me how to steam rice.”

“I think that in this case, an exception may be made. You did not mean to be here, after all.” Dumbledore conceded. “Perhaps you could even make some improvements to our system –a Chef at your age, your insight is likely very different from how we do things. ‘Chef’ isn’t exactly a popular profession in the Wizarding World, never mind among our students.”

“I’m well gassed old man, I’ll whip your staff into shape.” That might be a fun way to occupy himself if they were here for a little longer than their trips normally went. “But, uh, I think _now_ might be a good time to find a bed, yeah? We wake up well early even on a shit amount of sleep so actually gettin’ some would be nice.”

“Of course! If you have any more questions, we can take care of them tomorrow.” Dumbledore waved his wand and the teacups everyone was holding floated gently over to the desk, and despite himself Dudley stared in surprise. Dumbledore produced two keys from a drawer in his desk, and handed one to each of them.

“If you could keep these in a secure spot, then your room will be just as secure.” He chuckled at his small joke and McGonagall sent a long suffering look at him. “Curfew begins at ten and ends at four, and it is nearly eleven now. McGonagall will show you to the guest quarters –there are three rooms connected to a main common room, and a full bathroom. Breakfast starts tomorrow at six thirty, and classes start at eight. I think a tour would be in order once the school day starts, yes?”

Vvv

_“Dudley! Dudley, please wake up!”_

_Harry hovered over his unconscious cousin fretfully, the longer the other boy went without responding to him the more frazzled he got. This had never happened before –someone else had never_ come with him _, what if he’d made Dudley sick? What if because of Dudley’s lack of Gourmet Cells he just wouldn’t be_ able _to wake up here, or he was hurt now, or Harry’s Cells had done something weird to him, or what if he stayed like this_ forever-

_“H-Harrryy...?”_

_“Dudley!” Harry shouted, relieved. Dudley whined and clutched at his head, but managed to sit up even if he shuddered while doing so, an expression of pain flashing across his face. He looked around, at first confused and then with panic slowly taking over._

_“Where are we?!”_

_It was a foreign sight even to Harry; the two of them were sat in a great barren landscape without any trees or shrubs taller than their shoulders and pockmarked with odd, enormous holes that disappeared into the depths of the earth. Far off in one direction there was a break in the apparent mountain range that basically wrapped around the whole horizon, and in the other a vague splotch of shape and colour that resembled a city. The air around them was warm, if plagued with high winds, enough so that Harry was glad Dudley had been wearing a sweater and socks with his shoes before they left Surrey._

_“I can’t say, beyond somewhere in the Human World.” Harry admitted honestly. “I’m so sorry, Dudley, I must’ve missed the warning signs! I truly didn’t mean to bring you along.”_

_“It’s not your fault.” Dudley said immediately. “And-And it’s not so bad... y-you know what you’re doing by now, so I’m as-as safe as can be, yeah!”_

_Harry didn’t point out that Dudley sounded scared to death despite his words to the contrary; instead he nodded and took a second to centre himself, so when he stood up he was significantly calmer and ready to focus on figuring out what to do next._

_“I have a bit of food saved for emergency, but I do say we should start walking straight away. Over yonder, that –uh, looks like a city, and without any Ingredients around that I can see –well, it won’t do us good to sit tight.” Harry carefully helped Dudley to his feet. “Does your head still hurt? Do you think you_ can _walk for a while?”_

_“A bit, but not s’much as when I woke up. An’ I think I can go for a bit.” Dudley’s face turned beet red, but he reached out even so and grabbed Harry’s hand; Harry smiled, glad his cousin was getting used to more casual ways to show affection._

_“Let’s go, then. Just tell me if you want to stop.” Dudley nodded, and with that the children began to walk._

_Luckily, wherever they landed still appeared to have a good amount of daylight left to go, for it soon became apparent that they were going to have a long trek ahead of them. Harry knew that the average adult could cover ten kilometres in roughly an hour and a half, and by the size of the maybe-a-city in the distance they could have anywhere from fifty to seventy-five kilometres to cover. Best case scenario, this was the early morning and it was on the low end of the scale, so they might get close enough for him to flare his presence by nightfall. He’d figured out while visiting Sand Garden for the second time that he wasn’t strong enough for anyone to notice his flaring if they were more than two kilometres away._

_Worst case, it was closer to midday, they were on the higher end of the distance estimate, and they would still have hours to travel after stopping to sleep for the night._

_Dudley was a trooper though; as they walked he kept up a low stream of questions to keep their minds occupied, and they managed a good six or seven kilometres before he finally asked for a break. They drank some water and Harry peered into one of the strange holes they kept passing, unable to see the bottom of it. After about twenty minutes he urged his cousin to keep going, the lack of Fauna coupled with the nearby hole making him nervous._

_They made it another two kilometres before they finally ran into trouble. While skirting the edges of a particularly large hole –the width of a football field, Harry would guess –the ground beneath them began to rumble and quake, almost sending them both to the ground. Harry seized Dudley’s arm almost on pure instinct and dragged him back as far from the hole as they could get, and it was good that he did; for just then, a snake with a head the size of a car came up from the underground, accompanied by three smaller ones, and it saw them._

_Dudley froze in terror and Harry wasn’t too far off when the biggest one gave a low, rumbling hiss; despite all the places he’d been, Harry had no idea the first way to combat Snake-like Fauna. Should they run, play dead, freeze, could he hurt it with his Cells, were the babies more dangerous for their higher speed or would the larger one take great offense to its babies being hurt? All four looked to have rocks growing among their scales –a type of Boulder Fauna like the Corrosive Boulder Hawk of the Wul Jungle?_

_Regardless, as soon as the Fauna turned their way, Harry began a pre-shot routine and in the back of his mind had a plan to use his knife to release his blood, if it came to that. He was nearly finished, he hoped the snake wouldn’t dodge his touch, and when he reared back to launch a strike he froze in complete shock when the hissing shifted to actual_ words _._

_A big part of instinct is drawing conclusions based on experience –with more experience, there’s a lot more you can handle without much thought. Harry had no experience with snakes, and not much more with attacking Fauna; but when someone spoke to him, he knew how to respond. He had met many different people in the past two years of his life, no two of them the same, in vastly different environments, and so when he heard a low, rumbling voice comment on his and Dudley’s presence near their home –he opened his mouth and spoke without thinking._

_“ **We’re very sorry for intruding!** ”_

_The snake drew up short, and even Dudley behind him gave a little jump of surprise at the hissing words that came out of Harry’s mouth. The three smaller snakes came a little closer, almost childish sounding hisses letting him know how surprised they were at the same time._

_“ **Did you just...**_ **say _something?_** _” The large snake lowered its head so it was closer to the ground, almost at eye level with Harry and Dudley._

_“ **I –I think so?** ”_

_“ **He did it again!** ”_

_“ **Mother, can humans even**_ **do _that?_** _”_

_“ **Not as far as I am aware.** ” The mother said. “ **This is most interesting.** ”_

_“Harry? What’s going_ on _?” Dudley whispered urgently._

_“ **I don’t –I** –I don’t know.” Gosh, switching back to English almost made him feel like he did after he’d made his ring. “Um, uh –we **–we don’t mean any harm!** ”_

_The mother snake scrutinized them, her babies still hissing excitedly about the unexpected development. “ **Oh, you’re human hatchlings.** ” She eventually said, like she simultaneously had known all along and yet was just realizing. Harry had a hard time telling the tone of her voi... hiss. “ **Tell me, why are you here?** ”_

_“ **We’re trying to get there.** ” Harry said, and he pointed at the city –the snake looked in the same direction but didn’t make any reaction, and Harry suddenly recalled that some snakes couldn’t see very well. “ **It’s a human city, but it’s far off.** ”_

_“ **You look small to have left the nest.** ” She observed._

_“ **Well, we’re a bit lost... our parents are in the city.** ” Harry tried to keep their situation as simple as possible. “ **We really**_ **are _sorry for disturbing you._** _”_

_The mother was quiet for a minute, and in her pause her three hatchlings slithered forward curiously, each twice as long as Harry was tall, resembling fully grown Anacondas more than babies. Dudley whimpered at the sight of them, but Harry heard them hissing questions at him, so he sent Dudley a reassuring look and told him it was okay. He convinced his cousin to sit on the ground with him so the hatchlings could inspect them easier, grasping Dudley’s hand tightly even while he tried to keep relaxed._

_“ **What’s this on your head?** ”_

_“ **Are these called feet?** ” One asked while its tongue tickled at Harry’s hand._

_“ **What do humans eat? We catch Clay Worms.** ”_

_Harry giggled and tried his best to answer every question they threw his way, slowly getting used to switching back and forth from English to... Serpentese? Dudley relaxed in increments once he came to terms with the notion that the big, scary babies weren’t looking to eat them at the moment, the fact that Harry was trying to translate helping exponentially in that regard._

_“ **Alright, pipe down.** ” The mother said suddenly, and she rested her giant head on the ground a few feet away. “ **Hop on. I’ll bring you to the city.** ”_

_“ **Really?!** ”_

_“ **All I ask is that you tell the humans there that I did so, and that if they stay away, we’ll have no problems.** ” She requested, and Harry immediately agreed –he could see the logic in it, of course, and if trusting a reasonably calm Fauna would get them to the city _today _then he had no complaints. The hatchlings followed them up onto their mother’s head, curling around her boulder growths and both Harry and Dudley so they wouldn’t fall off._

_“Harry, how can you talk to snakes?!” Dudley called over the wind once the mother snake began to slither along –she slowed briefly every few hundred metres so Harry could tell her if she was still going in the right direction._

_“Would you believe I don’t_ know _?!” Harry yelled back. He shrieked out a laugh when the mother snake sped up enough that she sailed over a smaller hole –he’d never had so much fun travelling, not even on the Gourmet Express train from Skill Garden._

_The snake Fauna moved about as fast as a car on the highway, so that less than an hour later they were within a kilometre of the city. She stopped there, explained that she was unwilling to go any closer, and Harry spent a few minutes saying goodbye to the babies before the snakes slithered away, following the scent back to their nest._

_So Harry and Dudley turned towards the city, and Harry flared his presence a few times to try and get someone’s attention before they started walking. This close, they could see that it was no ordinary city –it looked desolate and half wrecked, a wall around its perimeter that was crumbled down in many places, rubble everywhere. There weren’t many more trees here than in the wide open landscape, and the few that were around were thick and sturdy, spiny underneath their leaves and only a metre taller than Harry at the very most._

_Just on the other side of the city from where they approached, Harry could see the mountain range towering above them, and to their right off in the distance was a bridge over a large expanse of water that looked just as dilapidated as the city but was obviously under construction in some areas._

_“Harry, someone’s coming.” Dudley pointed out, staring at a figure emerging from a great crack in the wall some thirty metres in front of them._

_The man that approached was in his thirties, with dark hair in a crew cut and scruffy but clean clothes. “What’re you brats doin’ out here?” He asked, and stopped a few paces away from them._

_“Going into the city, sir.” Harry supplied easily, Dudley a little tense next to him –he didn’t deal with strangers much back in Surrey, so it was no wonder. “We were separated from my father.”_

_“Well that ain’t right. C’mon, that entrance isn’t safe for kids.” He turned and headed slightly to the left, looking back briefly when Harry and Dudley didn’t immediately follow. “I’ll show ya in, so buck up!”_

_“Oh, of course, thank you!” Regardless, Harry kept a few steps behind the stranger, one hand in Dudley’s and the other on his hunting knife. “We’ve had quite an ordeal to get here.”_

_“Must’ve, if ya came from the wastes. What’s yer Pa’s name, maybe I know ‘im.” The as-yet-unnamed-man picked his way around a particularly large piece of stone and disappeared from view for a moment. Harry became alarmed rather quickly when he came back into sight, an odd grin on his face, and Harry slowed down so he could see if there was a crack in the outer wall nearby. There wasn’t._

_“Takimaru, sir. Um, I do think we might be going out of our way on this route...” Dudley seemed to have caught his caution by the tensing of his grip; the man let out a great rush of breath._

_“The Gourmet Knight? Oh, I know him...” A sharp feeling pierced the air, a glint of metal from atop the rock, and Harry had scrambled back the way they came with Dudley right there with him almost before he registered what he was doing, but they tripped and fell between two big rocks before they made it even two metres back._

_It didn’t matter in the end, because Harry then heard a click and a grunt of surprise, and when they looked up he saw that the man was frozen in place, a different man in a suit holding a gun to his temple nonchalantly. Up on top of the rock there were two more people, one a woman in a suit also holding a gun extremely easily up to the other’s head, a man with a knife clutched in one hand. She removed the knife from his grasp and kicked his legs out, sending him to the ground in a heap where he remained, presumably out cold. When the man in the suit turned to look at them, they saw he was missing an ear and wearing sunglasses._

_“Din, take over?” He requested, and the woman nodded silently before taking his place. The earless man came over and knelt down a couple metres away, raised his hands peaceably. “Hey, you’re Takimaru-san’s kid? Don’t worry, we’re Match-san’s subordinates. I’m Rum and that’s Din.”_

_“Why should we believe you? That –That man tried to say he knew Takimaru.” Harry scooted back further and took his free hand away from his knife, thinking that his Cells would be a better defence with just the one point of entry to their little nook. Rum nodded seriously, and in the background Din pushed her captive so he was facing the rock, her gun now pressed between his shoulder blades._

_“Everyone in Nerg City knows Takimaru-san by now, Ha-kun.” Rum told them, and Harry jolted at the nickname. “And not all of them favourably, like that piece of shit. You’ve got Match-san’s number, right?”_

_Harry nodded hesitantly –he had memorized it –though he hadn’t ever used it because Takimaru had stressed that it was the man’s private number and should only be used for_ absolute _emergencies. Rum rattled off a string of numbers and Harry drew a relieved breath when they matched up, and then again when Rum told him Takimaru’s personal number right afterwards._

_“Not many people know Match-san’s number, let alone Takimaru-san’s as well.” Rum said reasonably. “C’mon kid, let me bring you and your friend here to the Don, and we’ll have Takimaru-san back in the city within a few days.”_

_It was very tempting and, as with the snake, laid out fairly logically; Harry would still be wary, but Rum and Din_ had _presumably prevented that man from doing something bad, and Rum was aware of enough information to convince Harry to trust them in this. Staying out here much longer probably wasn’t a good idea, not even taking into account that by his hand’s clamminess Dudley might be going into shock._

_“...okay.” He agreed after a minute of deliberation, and he helped Dudley stand up with exceeding care. “We’ll go with you, Rum-san. Please understand that we’re especially nervous, though.”_

_“I’ll stay a few paces away, tell you what I’m doing before I do it.” Rum assured them, then he turned to Din. “Catch up?”_

_“Give me five minutes and I’ll be right behind you.” Din called back._

_“Okay you two, if you’re ready.” Rum said, and he indeed stayed no less than a metre away from them at all times, except when Harry and Dudley accepted his assistance in climbing over particularly large pieces of rubble in order to reach one of the cracks in the city wall. When they were a few paces through the wall, Harry’s slightly more sensitive hearing picked up the sound of one, then a second gunshot from behind them, and he swallowed thickly._

_Rum kept a brisk, straightforward pace, although he did slow at times to say hello to passing construction workers and people Harry guessed were Gourmet Revivers by the insignia on their collars. A few minutes into their journey Din came up and joined them quietly, neither her gun nor the two men anywhere in sight –it was fairly obvious to Harry what had happened._

_“Guy gave me somethin’ on the bandits over the south wall. It’s time sensitive.” Rum nodded and Din darted off again._

_“B-Bandits?” Dudley asked._

_“Those men were members. They hate the IGO, so they oppose the relief efforts that Match-san, Teppei-san and Takimaru-san have been arranging to get Nerg on its feet.” Rum explained, frowning deeply. “The area you were in is at the edge of where they loiter about. We’re in the middle of dismantling them right now.”_

_“So that’s why he... why did he approach us in the first place?”_

_Rum looked like he’d rather not say. “Child recruitment –forcefully, usually. Former street kids like me take offence to that, as you might guess.”_

_They made their way through the city and Harry took in how old and rundown everything was, and then just how many of the half wrecked buildings were in use and under construction at the same time. They passed a long, low hall that billowed the smell of rice and curry but also had scaffolding up so the roof could be repaired, a dormitory with people sitting in balconies while workers repaired missing sections of their foundation, a public park with a few kids playing around the adults moving big piles of rubble away._

_When they came up to a building that looked like it might have once been a three story hotel, Rum paused and very seriously informed them that this was the Gourmet Mafia’s main base and they were to be on their best behaviour. Though they agreed with little fuss, they betrayed their nerves by sticking close together; Dudley jittered faintly and his grip was tight, and Harry was only slightly better off because he knew that if this was really Match they were about to see, there wasn’t any reason to worry._

_Rum had them wait in the hall briefly while he explained the situation to whoever was inside –when he came back out he mentioned that he would call Takimaru while Match spoke to the two of them. And then he was off, and though he was nervous Harry tugged his cousin through the door to finally meet the mysterious man he’d heard so much about from Takimaru._

_“Was wonderin’ when your jumpin’ about would bring you ‘round here.” The man opened with. He was tall and broad, with slicked back blond hair and nay a square inch of his skin untouched by mottled scar tissue. He wore a cream coloured, beat up at the edges suit over a black dress shirt, and there was a sword casually resting on top of the desk he was leaning on. “Just how long were you two out in the wastes?”_

_“Um, nay but a few hours. Do you know of those big... Boulder Snakes out there?” When Match nodded, Harry went on. “Well, uh, they sorta gave us a ride... and wanted me to tell you? That they shan’t bother you if you don’t bother them.”_

_Match stared at him for a second, like he was trying to translate what Harry had said into another language, before he let out an amused huff and shook his head. “You’re just like Takimaru, aren’t you. And who’re_ you _? I don’t remember another kid taggin’ along.”_

_For a second Harry thought his cousin would be too scared to properly answer, but then Dudley cleared  his throat and said, albeit meekly, “I’m Harry’s cousin, Dudley. I’m here by accident.”_

_“Hm. Okay.” Match glanced at his watch. “Rum will’ve called Takimaru by now, so in the meantime you two’ll be taggin’ along with a couple of my men and helpin’ the restoration efforts. We’re still on Relief Rations right now so don’t expect a feast, but if you do what you’re told you’ll be fed...” Match paused and eyed the way Harry and Dudley were going a little glassy eyed, practically holding each other up now that some of the adrenaline had drained from their systems. “And all that can wait till tomorrow.”_

Vvv

During his first stay at the Chowlin Temple, when he’d gone by the name Han, Hamaru heard his instructors saying on occasion that he took to practicing Gratitude as a cat took to swimming. At the time, it was an accurate comparison –and years later, Hamaru would be hard pressed to say that it was any less so. Certainly it had become easier, time and sincere dedication could do many wonders, but even now Hamaru faltered, clinging to old memories of hurt when he should let them go, dwelling on the negative when he should think of the positive.

Often, Hamaru thought about his life and although it was hard, reminded himself of the sheer number of things he had to be grateful for. The opportunity given to him by Aimaru. The privilege of living at Simple Diet Hill, the love his father freely gave every day. The trust of his Combo Partner, new in formality but old enough that he could feel it simmer below his skin. That he had been treated unjustly by his aunt and uncle was a fact that he would never forget, but when he tried to, he could soften the old, bone-deep pain and believe, for a minute, that he had made the right decision in forgiving them.

He awoke in the morning with such thoughts already swirling in his head, but after five years earnestly practicing the teachings of Food Honour he had leant how to turn those memories of his old life into something more positive, more healthy. He blinked and half expected to see a futon in the corner opposite his hammock, but Dudley was currently asleep squished up next to him. They were both buried into Bonnet’s side on the floor, unwilling last night to take the time to inspect the other rooms before they collapsed; the strain of travelling to Scotland particularly exacting after so long skipping around the Human World. The thought of disturbing his Partner an unsavoury taste in his mouth, Hamaru settled for lying there for at least a few minutes, until Dudley’s own internal clock prompted him to wake up.

That Dudley was still here after returning to the United Kingdom was a big weight off of his shoulders –in his darkest moments, Hamaru allowed himself to entertain the notion that his cousin would wish to separate as soon as he could, regardless of how implausible it was in reality. In the five years they had lived in the Human World together, his cousin had grown leaps and bounds, thanks in part to regular sessions with the Knights’ therapist the same as Hamaru did. Hamaru logically knew that Dudley’s early self-loathing guilt from the actions of his parents had eased into a burning need to prove himself, a loyalty to him that he still found incomprehensible at times, and a spine of steel that always, always made sure to tell Hamaru the truth. And if he asked, Dudley would be very upfront with his thoughts.

Even after five years Dudley still had a long road ahead to get over his reservations, and Hamaru had made sure to support him every step of the way.

It was easy, after so long, for Hamaru to see past the restrained temper, the bluntness he employed like a trap, the way he wrapped the ‘intimidating bodyguard’ persona around him like a shield –to see Dudley for what he was. It was easy to tell that his cousin, for all his composure, worried with the best of them and was protective to a fault, and that this situation they’d landed themselves in was wearing on him even after barely half a day. That he was conflicted over something and if not for their Agreement, he was unlikely to bring it up himself –too much time hanging around Brunch-san indeed, if Hamaru had anything to say about it.

“Hrmm... Hama?”

Hamaru shifted away slightly, sitting up so Dudley could move a little easier. “Good morn’.”

“Aye.” Dudley pushed himself into a sitting position and stretched; he let out an uncomfortable grunt when something in his shoulder gave a great crack. “We’vn’t slept on stone in a while.” He commented.

“Not since Crag Bay.” Hamaru’s eyes quickly adjusted to the dark, and he slipped his glasses on so he could check the clock –almost as soon as his gaze landed on it, a candle on the table next to the exit flickered on by itself. “It’s a little after half five. Are you well, Dudley?”

“Been better.” Dudley scrubbed at his eyes. “Honest? Bein’ back in the U.K. ain’t on my wishlist.”

Yes, though sometimes it was hard to remember, Hamaru had a lot to be grateful for. The trust of his Combo Partner was just one of innumerable examples, but it burned brightest in Hamaru’s chest no matter the day; he may harp on Dudley for his stipulations in their Agreement, but when his cousin honoured his own he almost felt as if he could cry for his gratitude. The biggest one, the seventh of the virtues –Honesty.

“We are Partners –I do not presume to know better than you.” Hamaru waited for Dudley to nod. “But if it is my wellbeing which causes your hesitance, do not feel such. I have forgiven much, and while I shall not go closer to number four than Sri Guru Singh, I do not resent you for desire to see your parents, Dudley.”

“That’s... some’ve it.” Dudley admitted. “I miss ‘em, love ‘em, too. But I’ve lost a lot o’ fondness since then. They’ll want me to stay, an’ I _won’t_.” Dudley reached for his hand in their usual manner of comfort, and Hamaru felt again his gratitude –his Partner was much more perceptive than other gave him credit for. “And what the old man said, ‘bout your birth Mum ‘n’ Da...”

“Is something I shall endeavour to verify. In any case, it is merely another slight from people whom have no hold on me any longer. I do think it shan’t change much in my mind.” Hamaru smiled a little sadly. “All the same, I shall be grateful to know they were good people.”

“I hope my Mum was lyin’, really I do... but Hama, without that bit o’ news? I don’t like it here, period. Them callin’ you ‘Harry Potter’ an’ actin’ like bloody pricks the whole time of it. We’re at a disadvantage.”

“Mm, this is true.” Hamaru sighed. “I am willing to forgive the use of my birth name to a certain point. If they did know my parents, it is understandable that some shall have difficulties; but I shall not hold with it if it becomes sheer rudeness. I know you worry, but this magic tournament business is no more dangerous than landing in the Lost Forest I do reckon, and I did survive such.”

Dudley shuddered at the reminder. “Barely.” He bit out, but then he calmed and scoffed. “ _Magic_ , what a load. If that bint of an official tries the rulebook excuse I’ma look through the damn thing myself.”

“I’ve no doubt you shall, dear cousin. But think –it may be an interesting trial, nay? Not to scrounge the wilderness shall be nice, although I do say my Hunting shall be restricted.” Dudley rolled his eyes.

“Sorted, an’ I don’t reckon there’s any of our Full Courses in this country neither. Yours is a bare pain to get back home as it is, Mr. _Aura of Gratitude_ bullshit.”

“Mayhaps. Though I do recall a _Modest_ Consommé with a Capture Level Three rating...” Hamaru dodged Dudley’s half-hearted swipe and stood up; he felt significantly better now that they had spoken about their reservations. “Well, I do think I shall get ready. Do you want the washroom first?”

“Nah, y’go ahead. I’ll get Bon set up.”

Hamaru was surprised to see a mostly modern setup when he inspected the washroom –he would have thought that a castle such as this would have something similar to the Knights’ hot spring compliment, a tap with wash buckets or similarly old fashioned amenities. He wasn’t about to complain, it was certainly nicer than the times they had been forced to bath in a river or go without as in Sand Garden. By the time he was finished, Dudley had set out a basin of water and food for Bonnet in their absence, and was speaking comfortingly to the Fauna that was probably a little nervous from the new environment.

After five years of living practically joined at the hip, they had their morning routine down to a ‘T’ –Hamaru finished his stretches, basic forms and morning prayers by the time Dudley came back into the room, and began his Food Honour meditation just a few minutes before Dudley did. His cousin didn’t practice as long as he did, so when he moved on to tying his outer cloth and re-wrapping his sash, Dudley was already up and moving around, which on a normal day would mean that he had started on breakfast, his favourite meal to cook. Today he was fiddling around with his bag instead, inspecting the common room they had slept in.

To make Bonnet more comfortable, Hamaru changed the floor of one of the rooms into dirt resembling what could be found near the Lodgings –musing that he could always change it back if someone complained –and then they set themselves up in the other room. It didn’t amount to much, they never left anything lying around whenever they were on a trip, unsure exactly how long they would remain and unwilling to lose possessions if it turned out to be a short trip. By the time they were done it was closer to seven than the half six they were shooting for, and Hamaru felt a little bad when they made it downstairs and saw McGonagall waiting for them outside the doors to the dining hall.

“McGonagall-san, my apologies, did we keep you waiting long?” Unless he imagined it, her composed expression softened a little upon their approach, and he wondered how well his birth parents had known her.

“Mr. Singh, Mr. Dursley.” She greeted –and wow, after five years it was odd to hear the prefixes of British English. Should he start using them again? It was hard to remember the specifics. “Did you sleep well?”

“It was restful enough.” He noticed a few students walk past, whispering to each other and stealing glances in their direction. “Thank you again, for your hospitality.”

“It is the least we could do. I hope you’re prepared; I’m afraid the rumour mill among the students is running at full capacity... you’re the talk of the castle.” She looked apologetic and Dudley groaned in exasperation next to him, and Hamaru tried to keep a calm manner. “Most of the students will be here by half past seven, so you have enough time to eat before –well, Albus thought it best you introduce yourself so there is little confusion.”

“A reasonable thing, to be sure.” McGonagall gestured for them to follow her into the dining hall –which was maybe a quarter of the way full and the sight of which caused Dudley to puff up indignantly as they made their way to the front of the hall.

“Dudley...”

“The hell is _this_? Am I the only sane person here? Am I the only one with a conscience?!” He whispered back shrilly, garnering a look from their guide.

“Is something wrong, Mr. Dursley?”

“Wrong? Is something –I can’t –I – _Hama_!” Dudley turned to him pleadingly.

“McGonagall-san, my Partner is finely in tune with Health & Safety standards, even at a glance. If this is your normal setup, I’m afraid there are some evident oversights.” He wasn’t one to badmouth an unfamiliar staff, but the way things were placed, the absence of noticeable labels, the lack of garbage cans... it was no wonder his cousin was distressed. “I do hope the kitchens shall be included in the tour we are given of the school? I did jest last night, but now I _do_ fear Dudley may not last a week.”

“Ah, yes, they will be. I’m sure Albus would like to hear Mr. Dursley’s input...”

“He’d _better_...”

“McGonagall-san, is there any rhyme to the seating arrangement?” Hamaru asked as they drew up to the front of the hall, many eyes trailed on their persons from the student body. “I wouldn’t want to cause any offense...”

“Yes, the four tables correspond to our four houses –fraternities, if you will. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.” She pointed to each as she said their names, and Hamaru tried to note which colour meant which house. “There are two visiting schools as well, for the tournament. Durmstrang Institute is sitting with Slytherin and Beauxbatons Academy is with Ravenclaw.”

“And the Hogwarts Champion, he hails from Hufflepuff?” Hamaru asked, McGonagall nodding in reply. “The proper manner is to sit with Gryffindor firstly, as they are without Champion representative. I do think though, as an unexpected member of this event, that I should cultivate a goodly relationship with yon fellow Champions and as such their constituents. Now, what say you, Dud?”

“Safe, a good point you make.” Dudley humoured his musing, posing with a critical eye to the four tables. “Can’t be the ravens or the snakes first off, no doubt. Lions or badgers? If I’m recallin’ right the old man said to the Hogwarts Champion you’d be up for gettin’ to know today.”

“Verily, he did so. And indeed, he sits there even now.” The teenager –Cedric? –could be seen about three quarters of the way down the table, talking with a few people sitting nearby but also looking in their direction curiously. “Would you do us the favour of calling us up for our introduction, McGonagall-san? In such way we shall not miss the opportunity.”

“I can do that, Mr. Singh. Do enjoy your breakfast.” And with that she made her way around to sit at the teachers’ table, leaving Hamaru and Dudley to approach the Hogwarts competitor on their own.

“Hail and well met, my good man!” Hamaru greeted cheerily as they came within a few feet of the older teenager –Cedric stood up looking a little surprised, and offered a hand to shake, which Hamaru did with only a slight falter, unused to that aspect of the culture after so long. “Mayhaps Dudley and I would sit with you? I do think I’d like to get acquainted!”

“Oh! I –well, sure, that would be nice!” Cedric blustered a little. “I’m Cedric Diggory, nice to meet you.”

“And you. I am called Hamaru Singh, and this is mine cousin, Dudley Dursley.” Hamaru took the seat to Cedric’s right and Dudley plopped down on the bench on Hamaru’s right after shaking the older boys hand as well. “I do apologize for not speaking with you last even’, but we two were truly confused as to our predicament! One hardly learns of a magical tournament every day!”

“I can imagine? Although, the Tournament’s not been done in like, a century, so a lot of people forgot about it.” Cedric paused to take a drink of an odd orange-brown beverage, which reminded Hamaru that he was supposed to be eating. When he looked at his plate, Dudley was already tucking into eggs and bacon and had pushed an assortment of foods onto both their plates. It... had been a long time since he’d seen a proper English breakfast, Hamaru mused, and resolved to ask if Dudley might consider adapting a recipe for Black Pudding when they were back in the Human World. “And I mean, _I’ve_ known about it for two months but I still can’t wrap my head around the fact the Goblet _picked_ me. It must be real weird for you two.”

“I did think I might be dreaming when we dropped into this hall so suddenly.” Hamaru found a tea pot hidden behind a stack of biscuits and began preparing a cup for both himself and Dudley. “And magic, what a marvel! Certainly not how I did expect to spend Halloween.”

Cedric blinked. “You didn’t know about magic?”

“Nay, not at all. Well, you hear tell of such things in children’s books, but never did I think that it may exist somewhere.” The Hall was filling up a little more now, although curiously the other Hufflepuffs, beyond saying a quick hello to Cedric, seemed to leave a bubble of space between where they sat and where their Champion was. “So, Cedric-san, you seem among the older students in the school. How did you –ah, _choose_ Hufflepuff?”

“Ha, uh, you don’t choose, you get placed.” Cedric laughed like he’d never been asked a sillier question, but it wasn’t an unkind sound. “First years, the eleven year olds, get Sorted their first night. The Sorting Hat –ha, yeah, it sounds a little funny –well, it looks into your head and based on your personality you end up in a house. Hufflepuffs are loyal, hard working and accommodating. I’m in seventh year, which is the last.”

“Hamaru’d be in Hufflepuff.” Dudley piped up suddenly.

“I could see that.” Cedric agreed, smiling brighter and more relaxed now that they had spoken for a minute. “Gryffindors are brave, Ravenclaws are studious, and Slytherins are cunning. They’ve all got good and bad points. Can I ask about the school you were going to? It’s a non-magical one?”

“Oh, we’ve had something of an atypical education.” Hamaru noticed a fresh wave of students come in through the big doors, most of them in the blue and red of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. “For the last five years we’ve had a combination of home schooling and apprenticeships; Dudley has been learning under Brunch, a Chef from Hex Food World, and my grandfather has been teaching me all I need to know to eventually take over from him. It is, of course, not a sure thing –I must prove myself capable, after all. But it-”

Hamaru paused at the shadow that fell onto his plate and turned around in his seat, coming face to stomach with the person that had stopped just behind them –he glanced up and met a pair of tired brown eyes set in a passive, bored looking face. The boy was around their age, with light brown hair and a tall, thicker build under a uniform edged with Hufflepuff yellow, and he didn’t say a word, just stared down at them.

“I’m sorry, did we take your usual seat?” Hamaru guessed, smiling at the stoic boy –he remained unfazed, but tilted his head forward slightly. “Had we known we truly would’ve made to sit elsewhere, we can still move a seat dow- uhm, oh dear.” The boy walked off in the middle of Hamaru’s sentence, and he looked to Cedric, distressed. “Ah, I did not mean to offend him?”

“Oh, that’s just how Neville is. If he doesn’t look angry you’re probably fine.” Cedric shrugged. “He normally doesn’t come down until quarter to eight, so I thought it wouldn’t matter where you sat.”

“What’s ‘is problem?” Dudley asked mulishly –he’d finished his meal a few minutes ago.

“Honestly? Not really sure. He was a lot different his first and second year, and then he came back from the summer hols last year and, well,” Cedric quieted when Neville came back towards them, this time on the other side of the table, and sat in the seat directly across from Dudley. He caught Hamaru’s eye and tilted his head forward again, and then he silently started eating –Cedric, when Hamaru glanced at him again, shrugged and made a gesture that conveyed ‘now he’s like that’ fairly well. “You were saying about apprenticeships?”

“Yes, well, Dudley has...”

They spoke with Cedric for a few more minutes about this and that before Dumbledore stood and tapped at the podium, and McGonagall came down into the aisle to bring them up to the front for them to introduce themselves –Hamaru knew Dudley didn’t like being the centre of attention very often, but he was glad for this all the same as they would likely avoid a lot of questions from curious students this way. It was clear by how Dumbledore addressed the students that he planned to let Hamaru and Dudley dictate the information they revealed to the general populace; despite the relaxed air about the place, Hamaru straightened and slipped into the slightly stiff, elevated decorum that Aimaru had taught him, unused for most everything these days except the most formal or uncertain of ceremony.

“As we break fast this fine morn’, I do wish ye to feel full with gratitude and a splendid meal, and that ye shall never go hungry for either.” Hamaru kept his posture straight, one hand at his stomach and the other behind his back, as a few members of the crowd of students giggled at his –even he knew it –strange manner of speech. Dudley had placed himself a scant two paces behind him and one pace to his right, again going for the intimidating bodyguard routine. “As our abrupt arrival last even’ did not give opportunity, Headmaster Dumbledore has most graciously allowed us to formally introduce ourselves now.”

“I am Hamaru Singh, son of Taki son of Ai. I represent the Gourmet Knights, a Non-Profit Humanitarian Organization and Coalition of Gourmet Hunters based in Simple Diet Hill, and have been named the Successor Presumptive of Aimaru son of Imen, the current Leader of the Gourmet Knights. This is Dudley Dursley, mine cousin and Combo Partner of whom I hold in highest regard, who is the sole apprentice to Chef Brunch the Tengu of the Hex Food Beast Knights.” Hamaru bowed deeply, well aware that Dudley remained straightbacked and quiet to his right –it didn’t matter. “In strange circumstance we have come here and are bidden now to participate in yon Tournament. I know rightly that it was not I nor my Partner who did enter, but marry I shall endeavour to make a good showing of this brave fight I have in hand. All told, I have naught but two requests to make of you on our behalf.”

Hamaru straightened again and smiled charmingly, the smile that Dudley always said would do wonders in the political sphere if not for the horrid temper that lay at the end of his patience, the smile that had managed to disarm many a Gourmet Yakuza member when he was asked to assist in negotiations for Ma-chichi. “I do wish to foster goodly relationships with all present; every school and every house. As such, I shall be kind and respect you if ye shall be kind and respect us in turn. Last, I did once go by Harry Potter, though time and want have changed this. I ask that you refer to me as only Hamaru Singh, being my chosen, legal name, and if so I shall feel gratitude to an immeasurable degree and will hold no cause for ill will towards you.”

Not quite the ringing silence he had achieved last night, but the hush that fell over the student body as they processed his words was still something he savoured. Maybe being here was putting him more on edge than he cared to admit, after all.


End file.
